


Te Ador

by Heroic_Euphoria



Series: Vatră [2]
Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Married Couple, Mpreg, Post-Season/Series 02, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-07-20 01:01:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 31,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19983460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heroic_Euphoria/pseuds/Heroic_Euphoria
Summary: Adrian Ţepeş and Trevor Belmont are now a married couple. There is an unspoken understanding between them that their marriage sacrifices the continuation of the Belmont lineage, which will end with Trevor. However, this knowledge builds tension between them, which finally bubbles over. Adrian suggests they try to figure out how to do the impossible.





	1. Married Life

Married life was an interesting dynamic for Adrian Ţepeş and Trevor Belmont. They had been married for six months, their bond sealed by Sypha’s caravan in a traditional Speaker wedding. After gallivanting through Wallachia as newlywed lovebirds, they returned to the hold with two keeps and took residence in the large, grand castle in the middle of the forest. 

It sounded like a fairy tale to the ordinary peasant, but to Trevor and Adrian, it was _mundane._ The days were quiet. Adrian worked in his family’s alchemy lab, hoping to finish experimentations his parents were never able to. Trevor went into the Belmont grounds and did repairs to the underground vaults. Sometimes Adrian accompanied Trevor with his endeavors and vice versa. For a bond between a dhampir and a vampire hunter, their pursuits were quite docile. 

After everything the pair had been through in their lives, perhaps it was just what they needed. 

Adrian woke one mid-morning to the empty sheets beside him. He stretched and sighed, turning over to his side of the bed. When his eyes opened, he saw a slip of paper shoved under his water glass on the nightstand. He leaned up and pushed the glass aside, taking the note in his fingers. Once the folded creases were undone, it read:

_Your asswhole went to the market. Will be back later._

Chuckles filled the silence. Adrian pulled a pencil out from the drawer in his nightstand. He scribbled under the note another message:

_It’s ass_ **_hole_ ** _, dumbass._

_But I adore you anyways._

The paper was folded again and tossed onto Trevor’s nightstand. Adrian stifled a yawn. He stretched out again, taking Trevor’s pillow and tucking it under his head. The scent of his husband’s hair wash filled his nose. His mind relaxed and he drifted back to sleep. 

Hearty laughter woke Adrian from his sleep. He cracked his eyes to see Trevor standing at the side of the bed, the scribbled note in his hands and a smile on his lips. Adrain closed his eyes again, trying his best to seem asleep. 

“Fuck you,” Trevor mumbled with a loving tone. Their marriage hadn’t stopped their bantering. Instead of being filled with animosity, it was filled with lighthearted jests of affection. 

“Later, if you allow it,” Adrian said back, his tone blank. 

Trevor made stared into Adrian’s eyes when he opened them. “Oh, are we in the _fake sleeping_ part of our marriage now?”

“I was asleep until you woke with me with your noise,” Adrian said with a smirk. 

“And whose fault is that?” Trevor sat on the bed and cupped Adrian’s cheek. They kissed. “Don’t insult your husband. He might give you a ravaging.”

“I encourage it,” Adrian said, his tone seductive. They kissed again. “You need to bathe before I fuck you.”

Trevor’s face deadpanned. “Why bother if you’re just going to ruin me enough to make me have to bathe again?”

“Maybe I find you more attractive when you don’t smell like sweat and cheap ale.”

“It was only a cup before I came back. I was thirsty.”

“Yes, but does that mean I want to taste it when I kiss you?” 

“You fucking pompous vampire prince,” Trevor chuckled, “you have more class in your fingernail than I have in my whole body.”

Adrian smiled. “I love you just as you are, Trevor.”

Trevor stood and threw his hands up in playful dismissal as he made his way to the bath. “Yeah, Yeah. Love you too.”

**~*~**

It was early afternoon. Adrian packed the basket on the kitchen table and smiled to himself. It was filled with a hearty lunch, one he had spent the late morning preparing. He finished his packing with a wine bottle and two glasses, placing them carefully at the top of the basket. The top was covered with a cloth. He slung the handles on his forearm and set off, extinguishing the fire in the hearth before he left. 

He made his way to the Belmont keep. The area was covered in rubble, the last remnants of a powerful family buried under dust and dirt. Adrian frowned as he passed a grand staircase that lead to nowhere. It was a lonely, solemn place. He couldn’t help but wonder what Trevor’s family was like, how they lived together in this place. He also wondered what they would think of him if they knew the last survivor of their clan married the son of Dracula. He shook the thought away and continued, making his way to the vaults. 

Venturing underground, he finally found Trevor hammering nails into the twisting staircase. It was half-complete, the top half leading down before rapidly dropping off into the depths below. Trevor had ladders and advanced tools Adrian had given him to aid his rebuilding efforts, making it easier to make progress. Beyond that, Adrian wanted insure Trevor stayed safe. Trevor wasn’t known for caution, and Adrian would rather not have his newlywed fall down a chasm of books and records to his demise. 

Adrian hovered in the air over his husband, unbeknownst to him. He admired his workmanship. Trevor was determined to build the Belmont hold back to its former glory. Adrian admired his devotion, and gave him resources from his family’s castle repository to aid him. 

Trevor turned around abruptly, his hand on his whip. He relaxed when he saw who it was. Adrian gave him a sly smile, still hovering in the space above his head. 

_“Christ,”_ Trevor huffed, “sometimes I forget my husband is a floating Vampire Jesus.”

“I was just trying to have a nice lunch with _my_ husband,” Adrian retorted playfully, “sometimes _I_ forget he doesn’t like vampire guts on his good tunic.”

They laughed. Trevor pointed to an open spot on the staircase and climbed up to it. Adrian joined him, setting the basket between them on the stairs. He took the two glasses and popped open the wine bottle, pouring them full. Trevor took an apple from the basket and bit into it. 

“Thank you for lunch, hubby,” Trevor teased. 

Adrian raised his brow and sipped wine. “Call me _hubby_ again and you will be Treffy for eternity.”

“Damn, point taken.”

They chuckled again. Trevor sighed and glanced around the grand space. The portrait of his ancestor, Leon Belmont, towered over them. Adrian had fixed its crooked stance when Trevor first began restoration, now it stood straight and regal as it should. Trevor was surprised with how supportive Adrian had been with his efforts to rebuild his family’s legacy. He felt fortunate to have a spouse so understanding of what his family and lineage meant to him. Yet, sometimes he wondered why he was adamant on restoring it. He sipped wine and glanced to Leon. _What would he think of me?_ he thought. _It all ends with me._

“You’re doing a great job, love,” Adrian said. Trevor blinked. 

“What?” he asked. 

“With the restoration. It just the two of us, and you alone working most of the time, yet it looks like the work of a dozen men.”

“O-Oh…” Trevor flushed. “I guess it is just the two of us, huh?”

“Yes…” Adrian furrowed his brow. “What of it?”

“I think I’m just doing this for my own satisfaction. I suppose that’s not a problem, but…” Trevor shrugged and drank another gush of wine. “There’s really no point. The Belmonts end with me.”

Adrian frowned. He knew when he proposed to Trevor that, if he accepted his hand in marriage, it was likely the Belmont lineage would end. Adrian had always been too nervous to bring it up in conversation out of fear he would upset his spouse. Yet, it was always lingering in the back of both their minds. Trevor’s family and lineage meant a lot to him. It ended with flames and persecution, and if Trevor didn’t have any heirs, it would stay that way. Not to mention, there would no longer be a clan to fight the nefarious creatures of the night, but that was another matter entirely. 

Above all, Adrian couldn’t understand why he sacrificed everything just to marry him. 

“How does that make you feel, Trevor?” he asked. “Be honest with me.”

Trevor shrugged and sighed. “It is what it is.”

“That’s all you have to say on the matter?”

“I placed my own mortal happiness over my lineage. Maybe that’s selfish, but I earned it. But...sometimes I still feel guilty for giving it all up. No more Belmonts, no more vampire hunters, no more collectors of vast knowledge. Tck, it’s what the church wanted,” he scoffed bitterly. “Now they can reap what they sowed.”

Adrian sighed. He gazed through the rails of the staircase down into the depths below. He couldn’t help but think he was part of the reason the Belmonts would fade away. If only he hadn’t asked to keep their final son to himself…

“I’m sorry, Trevor,” he said, “I shouldn’t have asked to keep you for myself. If carrying on your lineage is what you truly want, you are free to go find a person that can give that to you.”

“Oh, hell no,” Trevor said, his tone stern, “I married you knowing damn well what it entailed.”

“Yet what you gave up for it still bothers you. Am I worth that?”

“Is my marriage to you _that_ fulfilling? Yes.”

“An onlooker may think the son of Dracula married you in spite to truly end the Belmonts once and for all.”

“Yeah, well, they would be idiots, so fuck them.”

Adrian swallowed and let the conversation fade. Nothing he could say would rid him of the guilt. Trevor could brush it off all day, but the fact he worked to restore every aspect of the Belmont keep meant there was part of him still deeply devoted to his family. Of course it bothered him to know he would rebuild only to have his lineage fade. Yet, he loved Adrian enough to live with that knowledge. Adrian didn’t understand it. He glanced up to Leon’s portrait again. 

“If you could have children, do you think parenthood would be for you?” Adrian finally asked. 

Trevor grunted and finished his wine. “What the hell is the point to that question?”

 _He’s being defensive,_ Adrian thought. _That tells me all I need to know._

“I was just curious.”

“Well, yeah…” Trevor sighed. “I’m a total asshole, but I think of my father sometimes. I always thought if I had a kid, I’d treat them just like he treated me.”

Adrian nodded. “I see…”

“What about you?” 

“I’ve always wondered,” he admitted, “but wouldn’t it be best not to pass Dracula’s bloodline along?”

Trevor raised a brow and poured another glass of wine. “You said that like it’s a question.”

“Because it was,” Adrian said, raising his brows back at him. 

“Why ask a question like that? What does it matter?” Trevor paused. “What kind of weird shit is going on in that head of yours?”

Adrian startled. He shook his head in denial. “Nothing,” he insisted. 

“Yeah, _right._ I know you well enough to know when you’re _fucking lying.”_

“You’re an asshole.” Adrian stood, grabbing the basket. He tossed his empty wine glass into it. 

_“I’m_ the asshole?” Trevor scoffed, standing up to follow him. “I thought we were having a nice lunch until it got weird.”

“I wasn’t making it weird!” he retorted. “I was trying to talk to my husband about what’s bothering him! Isn’t that what marriage partners are _supposed_ to do!?”

“Why would you bother asking me about shit you know the answers to?”

Adrian narrowed his gaze. Frustration bubbled in his chest and caused him to clench his fists. “Wouldn’t that be _counter-intuitive?”_

Trevor threw out his arms. Wine splashed onto the wall from the cup in his hand. “I love you, _Adrian._ So stop being an _asshole_ and stop _rubbing_ it in my face.”

“Rubbing _what_ in your face?”

“That I can’t have kids with you!”

Adrian froze, shock plastered on his face. His eyes were wide as Trevor reflected his expression. Trevor shook his head, in awe at what came out of his mouth. He wasn’t sure if he even meant to say that, but he had said it, and it was out in the air now. Adrian swallowed and took the wine glass from Trevor’s hand. He closed his eyes and disappeared in an instant, transporting himself to the entrance of the hold. He trudged back to the castle, his mind without words. 


	2. Crossing the Threshold

The notes in front of Adrian weren’t appealing to him. He put his pencil down onto the paper, only to lift it again without writing a word. He wanted to be productive, yet he couldn’t bring himself to. There was too much on his mind, and it overpowered any motivation he had to continue his experimentations for the day. 

Adrian glanced around the alchemy lab. He remembered running through the space as a small child, only to be stopped by his mother or father.  _ You can’t run through here,  _ they said,  _ it’s reckless. You could hurt yourself. _

Yet, he had hurt himself in this place more than once. After the war on Dracula ended, Adrian fell into a state of mind where his will weakened. He thought it would be better for the planet if Dracula’s cursed bloodline didn’t exist, which lead to him experimenting with different poisons in order to erase any trace of it. Trevor had shown up out of the blue for a visit, angered when he found out what was going on, and helped nurture Adrian back to health. 

The weeks he had spent recovering from the whole ordeal had been hell, but he had pulled through it. His anxiousness was less than it had ever been, and he lived quietly as a married man. He never thought he’d see the day. There was a time where he thought he’d never see another day. 

The times were different. 

Adrian never thought about passing his blood along, because it wasn’t something he and Trevor would do. Yet, their most recent spat told him Trevor had thought about these things. Beyond that, Trevor _wanted_ children, though he was stubborn and had trouble admitting it. Not only did he want children, he wished they could be his and Adrian’s. 

He clutched his hair in his hands. It didn’t make sense to him. What kind of visions had gone on in Trevor’s head?

**~*~**

Trevor wiped the wine off the wall with a huff. He had fucked up and said something he shouldn’t have. Then, once he had said it, his husband had just up and disappeared from thin air.  _ Literally.  _

There were always unique struggles when married to a vampiric man. 

Yet, what Trevor had said was the truth. He had lamented over children not being an option for their marriage. He knew he could find someone else to have children with, but he was stubborn, and it wasn’t what he wanted. If he was going to have kids, he wanted them with his spouse, plain and simple. 

He had mostly shoved these thoughts to the side, choosing to keep busy by restoring his keep. He wasn’t sure where their spat had come from, or who started it. It was strange, of all the things to get agitated with each other over, they were hurtling insults over hypotheticals. 

Trevor sighed. Maybe, just  _ maybe, _ he was the one who flew off the handle first. He decided to suck up his pride and apologize. He had learned to do that sometimes in marriage, though he hardly did it before he tied the knot.  _ Happy husband, happy life, _ he thought. Besides, sleeping next to Adrian when he was sour wasn’t the most pleasant experience. The bed had many feelings associated with it, but Trevor couldn’t stand it to be tense. 

He rose and left the Belmont hold to try and make amends. 

**~*~**

Adrian flipped through a book on vampirism in the library. He scanned pages, his mind too jumbled to properly comprehend what he was reading. He placed the book back on the table and gazed out the window at the setting sun. Two strong arms wrapped around his waist. He startled. Trevor’s shoulder snuggled into his neck. 

“I’m sorry, baby,” he admitted. He kissed Adrian’s neck. 

“Trevor--”

“Shut up,” Trevor interrupted, “I got frustrated over nothing. Just accept my apology.”

Adrian sighed. “Allow to me to apologize. It takes two to escalate a situation.”

“That’s an articulate way of putting it.”

“Did you really mean it?” Adrian asked. He turned around to face Trevor. “About...children…”

“Yeah,” Trevor nodded with a shrug, “not that it matters.”

“It matters.”

“Why?” 

“Because it’s obviously been on your mind.”

Trevor nodded again. He exhaled and stared out the window. “Yeah.”

Adrian put his hand on Trevor’s shoulders. He rubbed circles in them, the room quiet for a few moments. He didn’t want to make promises or fluff things that he couldn’t keep his word on, but he wanted to reassure his husband anyway. 

“I’ll figure it out, Trevor,” he said. 

Trevor shrugged. After a moment, he snapped to his senses. He stared at Adrian as if he were insane. “What do you mean  _ you’ll figure it out?” _

“I--I mean…” Adrian stumbled with a blush, “ah...nevermind.”

“No. You can’t bullshit out of this. You had something in mind when you said that. What was it?”

_ Silence. _ Adrian shook his head, his mind blank. He knew exactly what he meant by those words, yet he couldn’t bring himself to explain it. It was as if simply saying it aloud would cross a threshold he couldn’t turn back from. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to cross it in the first place. Trevor’s eyes widened as he came to his own realization. 

“Don’t fucking tell me…” he said, his voice incredulous, “you’re thinking of finding some convoluted way for us to have a kid together.”

Adrian stiffened. He refused to make eye contact with him. 

“Holy shit. That  _ is _ what you were thinking!”

“I--I--So?” Adrian finally said. He cursed himself.  _ That’s the best you can do, Adrian? _ he thought. 

“So? So!?” Trevor exclaimed. “Do you even realize what the hell you’re saying?”

“I haven’t said anything, asshole!”

“Oh yeah, you have. You’ve said a whole hell of a lot,” Trevor scoffed. He leaned his palm against the bookshelf and shook his head. “What are you going to do, shape-shift your groin?”

Adrian blushed, his skin on fire. He was embarrassed and frustrated at the same time, but he couldn’t articulate exactly why. Trevor was getting under his skin. He was quite good at that sometimes. “Will you shut the fuck up!?” 

More Silence. Adrian sighed, relieved for a moment of quiet. Trevor’s eyes scanned the books on the shelf, his thoughts racing. He wasn’t sure how they had gotten here, but there was no question: they had gone somewhere they couldn’t come back from. Whether or not they ever had more than two people living in their home, the idea was out in the open. It was a seedling in both of their heads that, as it grew, would be hard to ignore. 

“Do you think that could really work?” Trevor mumbled. 

“I don’t know,” Adrian shrugged, his cheeks pink. 

Trevor noticed the book on the table. “You were looking for the answer, weren’t you?”

“I--I...Yes…” he finally admitted, “vampirism harbors powerful abilities. Coupled with my human attributes, maybe...I was just searching for ideas. Between our two keeps, there is an incredible amount of knowledge here. Don’t you think…?”

“We could find the answer? Maybe.” Trevor paused. He gazed into Adrian’s eyes, his face stern. “But is that what you really want?”

“What?” Adrian furrowed his brow. His heart was hammering in his throat, the full force of the situation hitting him. He knew what he wanted, but he didn’t know if that’s what he should have or what he should do. He swallowed, trying to tame the trembling in his chest. 

“You know what I’m asking. If you really want it, then you’ll say it.”

“T-Trevor…” Adrian said, his voice shaking, “I want...a child.”

“Holy fucking shit…” Trevor exhaled. “You’re not lying, are you?”

“N-No…”

“Where are we going, Adrian? What happens if this works?”

“There’s nothing saying we’ll find something that works. The chances are slim.”

“I know, but...can you imagine it?  _ Our _ kid?”

“I don’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, welcome to my fanfiction. :)
> 
> This is a sequel to a previous work of mine called "Stingher". No knowledge of that story is required to read this one, but I will make subtle references to it every once in a while. However, I'll make it so it doesn't infringe on the story enough to make it confusing. I want to ensure readers can read this alone, my first work alone, or both together, depending on their preferences. 
> 
> They are both listed under the series called "Vatră". The Romanian-English dictionary says this means "home" or "abode", so I went with it. These stories revolve around the home and relationships, so it works! "Te Ador" means "I adore you" in Romanian (or so the dictionary says lol). My first story's title is also in Romanian, so I thought I'd continue that pattern. 
> 
> This story is a bit experimental in its plot (for me, anyways). If you read my first story and this wasn't the type of sequel you were expecting, I totally understand. No hurt feels. lol I will update tags as the story goes along. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	3. The Family Crib

Adrian was astounded at the amount of knowledge in the Belmont hold. Combined with the vastness of his father’s collection, there was an unfathomable amount of information between them. The first time he had ventured into the Belmont vault, he would admit, he had been less than thrilled. It was filled with vampiric skulls from individuals like his father, and him, to an extent. Now having fought in a war and won, he looked at it a bit differently. However, it still made him think about himself and his heritage when he saw those artifacts. 

He was more motivated now than he had been before. He was searching for answers, many for questions he hadn’t even thought to ask yet. Trevor was with him in the search, but he wasn’t the most efficient researcher on the planet. Adrian flipped through a book he had come across with a smirk. 

“Hey, Trevor,” he called out to his husband from the above balcony, “did you know one of your ancestors made their penis disappear?”

Trevor turned around with a deadpan expression. “Where the hell did you get that from?” he asked. 

“From the book of penis spells I found under your childhood bed.”

“It was not under my bed,” Trevor insisted. 

“It was under your bed.”

“Alright, fine. It was under my bed,” he admitted, “when I was  _ nine.” _

Adrian laughed. He flipped through the book as Trevor walked up the stairs to take a gander at what he was looking at. Trevor had never read the book, only looked at the pictures. Now that it mentioned one of his ancestors in such in an uncensored way, he was curious to read it. He peered over Adrian’s shoulders as the book shut in his hands. 

“Did you find anything useful?” Trevor asked. 

“For me? No,” Adrian said. He shoved the book against Trevor’s chest and walked away when it was in his husband’s hands. “But you might learn something.”

Trevor flushed. “There was a time that would piss me off. Now it just turns me on.”

Their chuckles echoed the vast space. Adrian wandered off to search through another portion of the vault. Trevor paced shelves, his hand running over aged bindings. The shelves seemed endless. It would take lifetimes to read through all the books and records. Thankfully, it was meticulously organized. Adrian sighed and kept walking, coming to one of the far walls on the third floor. He came upon a door in the corner. He walked up to it, not remembering ever looking at it. The third balcony wasn’t a place they had spent much time, as the information needed to fight Dracula was located in other areas. The knob was locked, but loose when Adrian tugged on it. It didn’t take much to loosen it, the rusty edges decaying at his pull. He pushed it open and stepped inside. Not surprisingly, it was pitch black, save from the small amount of light pouring in from the lanterns beyond the door. There was an unlit, dusty lantern beside the door frame. Adrian snapped, performing a quick light spell his father had taught him when he was young. The room light up. 

Adrian’s eyes widened. It was a small closet, full to the brim with items. The center of the space caught his attention first, where a crib nearly touched each wall. At its feet was a bassinet filled with plush bears and toys. A bookshelf on the far wall was filled with books blocked by a rocking chair. He took a step and tripped on a wooden box. He crouched and opened it. It was full of clothing for newborns, blankets, and more toys. The sight of it all gave him chills. Not only was it an odd thing to find in an underground information vault, but he realized this was what they were  _ really _ aiming for. The true magnitude of what they sought was now physical and right in front of his eyes. 

Trevor startled and dropped the book in his hands when Adrian appeared from thin air right beside him. He huffed and picked the hardback up, dusting the cover off. 

“You have  _ got _ to stop sneaking up on me,” Trevor said, “it startles the shit out of me.”

“I found something I want to show you,” Adrian said, his voice monotone. 

“Really? What is it?”

“Come with me.”

Adrian lead him to the closet on the third floor. The rusty hinges had caused the door to closed again. Adrian push it open, it creaking and groaning when he did. Trevor stepped in front of him and inside with his arms crossed. His face contorted, a mixture of shock and confusion in his eyes. Adrian stepped beside him. 

“What is this, Trevor?” he asked. 

“My crib…” he mumbled. Adrian furrowed his brow. 

“What?”

“That’s my crib,” he said again, walking up to it. “One of my earliest memories is climbing over the bars and wandering off when my mother was in the bath.”

“What’s it doing down here along with all these other things?” Adrian said, gesturing to the surrounding items. “It’s all for newborns.”

“This the crib all of my parents’ children slept in as babies. I was the youngest of three with two older sisters, Aelina and  Edith. Aelina was fifteen, Edith was thirteen, and I was twelve…”

Adrian put his hand on Trevor’s shoulder. “Was all this moved here to save it?” he asked quietly. 

“That doesn’t make sense.” Trevor shook his head. “There were rumblings the church was coming for us long before they did. My mother had portraits and family heirlooms brought here to save them should the house above get destroyed. My sisters and I searched the whole house with her gathering valuables one day. She specifically told us no furniture.”

“Is there something inside the crib she intended to hide?”

“Even so, how would that explain all this other--” Trevor stopped and leaned down into the bassinet. He stood with a stuffed bear in his hands. “This was my bear! I named him _ Leon _ because Leon Belmont’s portrait always fascinated me.”

“Perhaps you weren’t as naughty as a boy as you are now,” Adrian teased. Trevor chuckled, his face turning more solemn afterward. 

“My parents thought we could live in the vault if the church came for us. Let them burn everything above ground to ash while we waited it out below. We had placed things in closets to prepare for however long we would need to hide. That’s why my mother said no furniture. But, our efforts were in vain because they razed the house with all of us in it.”

“It was during the night, wasn’t it?”

Trevor shrugged. “Who remembers that sort of thing?”

“You do.”

Trevor frowned and nodded. Adrian wrapped his arm around his shoulders and held him close. They were quiet for a few minutes, both of them looking over all the items set before them. Adrian furrowed his brows when he felt Trevor tremble underneath his touch. 

_ “Christ,” _ he said, his voice sharp, “that’s why all this is down here.”

“Why?” Adrian asked. 

“She was pregnant.”

“What?”

“We all had bedrolls placed down here. My mother didn’t want us to be busy moving big items when we could be stocking food and supplies. It was placed here because she knew she might need it...” Trevor paused. He shook his head and turned around, leaving the space. Adrian frowned and followed him. 

Trevor slumped against the wall and slid to the ground. Adrian sat beside him, wrapping his arms around his husband and pulling him close. 

“She was pregnant when she died,” he mumbled, “I lost more...family...than I thought.”

Adrian’s heart hammered in his throat. He saw droplets dampen Trevor’s trousers. His hold around him tightened as he kissed his forehead. He said nothing, allowing Trevor to release long pent-up emotions in the silence. 

**~*~**

The bed was warm and welcoming after the long day had come to a close. Trevor climbed into bed after he unbuttoned his shirt and let it drop to the floor. He had been experiencing hot flashes all day, and the extra fabric was too crowded on his skin. He was haunted. There were so many things hidden in the vaults, but _that_ was something he’d never expected to find. It brought back every memory he had of the days leading up to the raze and the aftermath, the only thing anchoring him to reality Adrian’s touch. 

He hated to see it end that way. It tore anger through his core. The only way to exercise revenge would be to ensure the Belmonts lived on for centuries, and above all, for Trevor to be happy with a family of his own. Yet, ensuring that wasn’t simple, if he was going to be stubborn about it.  _ Which he was.  _

Adrian joined him in bed. He laid down, his head resting on the top of Trevor’s chest. His hand rubbed over his stomach as his hair fell onto the sheets. He sighed. 

“I love you, dear,” Adrian said. 

“Love you too,” Trevor mumbled back. He tangled his fingers in Adrian’s scalp. 

“I found some information today that might help us find the answer. I notated everything in a journal.”

“You don’t have to do this, Adrian.”

“But you want it. You want it more than you’ve wanted anything.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

Trevor sighed. He didn’t understand how he had come upon such a kind and loving spouse sometimes. They had their moments of banter, their sarcasm and insults, but underneath it, they were bonded by love. 

“Who would...you know?” Trevor asked. 

“ _ Have _ the child?” Adrian asked with a chuckle. “Me. I have abilities and knowledge in magic enough to manipulate reality.”

“Jesus Christ. This is _not_ real life.”

“We could always find a surrogate.”

Trevor furrowed his brow. “What’s that?”

“It’s a woman to carry our child for us. The only thing is, one of us would be the biological father and contribute sperm, then the woman would contribute the egg and the womb.”

“Then that’s basically having a kid with someone that’s not my husband.”

“N-No…” Adrian tried to explain, but Trevor didn’t care to listen. 

“I want a kid with you. That’s the deal. Or no deal,” Trevor insisted. Adrian sighed. There was no convincing Trevor of anything else. Adrian knew of his stubbornness long before they married, but it still took him by surprise sometimes. 

“You are such a stubborn man,” Adrian said. “Give me some more time. I have ideas I want to work with.”

Trevor blushed. “O-Okay…”

“If this works, we’ll go back down there and get the crib. What do you say?”

“Alright, Adrian,” Trevor swallowed down any trepidation lingering in his body, "let's hope for the best."


	4. Serum

The book in Adrian’s hands trembled. He had found the last piece of information he needed. Everything he needed was there. It was surreal, and they hadn’t even done anything yet. 

Now he had to tell Trevor. His husband would be ecstatic, though he was never one to jump for joy. He wanted them to have a child together, deal or no deal, as he had put it. They could try for that now, all Adrian had to do was tell him how it would be done. Then, they would have to make the decision to try. It seemed simple enough. Yet, Adrian was terrified. 

The thought of having a child scared him, to an extent. He wasn’t afraid of parenting or holding a baby in his arms, though the thought was surreal and nerve-wracking. He was afraid his own family would end the way his did, proving he was in a spiral, doomed to repeat the same events for eternity. 

Not to mention, he would be the one to carry the child. 

“Hey,” Trevor said behind him, “what are you up to?”

Adrian startled and shut the book on the alchemy lab table. “O-Oh! Just reading…” he said, his voice shy. 

“Oh,” Trevor shrugged, “how about some dinner?”

“I found it,” he blurted. He gripped the edge of the table, his heart in his throat. His husband furrowed his brow, the smell of old books on his clothing. It only served to remind Adrian of the Belmont hold, and, in turn, what they were trying to accomplish. 

“Found what?”

“How to have a...baby…” 

Trevor’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes,” Adrian swallowed. He exhaled, trying to calm his nerves. “It requires some transformation on my part, and a serum, but other than that…”

“What do you mean  _ transformation?” _

“I will use magic and my ability to manipulate my…” Adrian blushed and turned his head, unable to finish his sentence. 

“Your groin?” Trevor said as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. Adrian nodded. 

“Everything else about me will stay the same. The child will need supplemental milk, because I can’t make it on my own. I couldn’t find a way for me to, through magic or otherwise. I know how to make it, so there’s no worries there.”

“What about the serum? What’s that?”

“It’ll trigger a fertile period. My body doesn’t know how to do it on its own. So, if you wish, we can try whenever you want.”

Trevor paled. He blinked a few times, lost in a trance. He shook it away. “So..uh...can you change back to normal once it’s all over?”

“Yes. But I must stay in that state for the entire pregnancy.”

“P-Pregnancy?” he stuttered, his face now completely red. Adrian furrowed his brow, his skin warm with an intense blush. 

“Yes, Trevor,” he said, “I will carry the child.”

“Holy fucking shit…” He paused for a moment, his eyes bewildered. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“It’s fine. I have no problem with giving birth to our son or daughter.”

Trevor put his hand behind his head. “Fuck...this is insane,” he mumbled. 

Adrian sighed. He wrung his hands together in front of his stomach. “There is one thing you will have to do. Honestly, I can’t think of a way around it.”

“What is it?”

“You will have to deliver the child. We can’t call for a midwife, I’m not exactly your typical child bearer. In addition, we have ample knowledge and technology to assist us, things the outside doesn’t understand.”

“A-Alright,” Trevor nodded, more to reassure himself than Adrian, “I can do that.”

Adrian nodded back. He walked over to Trevor and placed his hand on his shoulder. “Don’t stress yourself over it. I can teach you how. We need to be expecting a child first before we worry about that. I just thought I should warn you.”

Trevor cupped Adrian’s jaw with both hands. He exhaled, a nervous smile on his lips. “I-I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“I can’t either.”

They kissed. Trevor wrapped him in an embrace. “I love you,” he mumbled. 

“I love you too.”

**~*~**

Adrian sat at the edge of the bed. The serum he had created was at the edge of the bed-side table. His hands were shaking, and he squeezed them together to tamper it down. He was waiting for Trevor to return from working on the Belmont hold. Adrian had spent the day making the serum, and beyond that, used his abilities to manipulate himself. Everything was now in place. He was nervous, and still terrified, but willing and ready to try. If he didn’t take the plunge now, he was scared they’d both procrastinate. They wanted this. They just had to work for it. 

Trevor opened the door, his shirt already half unbuttoned. Adrian stood, his stance a bit meek, and met him halfway in the room. Trevor smiled and kissed his cheek. He continued to unbutton his shirt, then undid the buckle on his belt. 

“Hey, baby,” he said, “I smell like old heirlooms and wood. Let me take a bath before dinner.”

“N-No!” Adrian exclaimed. He put his hand on his husband’s chest. “That’s fine.”

“Okay…” He raised his brow. He shrugged off his shirt and threw it over his shoulder. 

“Everything’s ready. The serum is on the nightstand. All I have to do is inject it and we can try.”

Trevor flushed. He wanted a baby, he had for years possibly, but it didn’t make this moment any less surreal. For some reason, he thought they’d linger in the phase between deciding to have a child and actually trying for one for an eternity. The moment had finally come. He was nervous as hell, he had been since they’d first starting speaking about it. Yet, whenever he thought back to that lonely crib in the vaults, and his own childhood bear, he was determined to restore his family. He had thought of what it would be like to put his own baby to sleep in that crib. He would never admit it to Adrian, but he had envisioned his husband cradling their child in his mother’s old rocking chair as well. For as gruff of a person as he was, they were soft visions. It put a strange taste in Trevor’s mouth, but it was not an unwelcome one. 

“Alright,” Trevor finally said, “now or never.”

Adrian smiled, his stance nervous. He walked over to the nightstand and grabbed the serum. He lifted his shirt and uncapped the needle. He pulled down his trousers to expose his hip. The needle went into his skin, liquid pumping through the needle. Trevor watched in bewilderment. 

“It works best within the first hour,’ he said. He laid down on the bed. He beckoned his husband over. “Come on, love.”

Trevor walked over and removed his boots, climbing overtop him. He brushed back hair from Adrian’s face, a small tremble in his fingertips. “I never thought I would have baby-making sex with you. This is surreal as hell.”

“Well, I didn’t either,” Adrian said with a blush. “My appearance there...is different.”

“You look just the same, just as beautiful as you always have,” Trevor said with a kiss, “but I understand what you mean. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, Adrian.”

Adrian gave him another kiss. “I’m ready, Trevor.”

Trevor nodded. “So am I.”

**~*~**

A few weeks passed. Life continued on as normal. Adrian went about his usual endeavors, but there was always a nagging ache in the back of his mind.  _ Did it work? _ He was sure Trevor had the same question, but they hadn’t spoken much of it. They had to wait to know for sure, so they did their best not to scratch the itch by keeping busy. 

It had been a little over a month. Trevor had finished the winding staircase in the vault, then began cleaning the inside and doing repairs to the balcony. Adrian experimented with plants, how to grow them faster and healthier, and how to cross pollinate, hoping to create a new species. It was interesting, if not a little mundane, but it kept his mind off things. He had also read multiple books about carrying a child, exhausting half of the library’s collection on the subject. 

One morning, Trevor returned from the vault for lunch. He checked on Adrian more these days, if just to sate his own nagging mind. They didn’t know if it had worked, but he wanted to be ready if it did. The crib was still in its dusty spot. Trevor ached to bring it out of the ruins and into their home, but he had to wait. He opened the door to his shared bedroom to find Adrian fast asleep. He furrowed his brow. Adrian never slept this late. He walked over to him and rubbed his shoulder. 

“Adrian, baby,” he said softly, “everything okay?”

Adrian stirred and opened his eyes. He stared up at Trevor in a groggy state. He hummed and stretched, leaning up in bed. His fingers carded through his hair as he glanced to the clock.

“It’s afternoon?” he mumbled. 

“Yeah. I came to see if you wanted to have lunch.”

“I’m sorry, love,” Adrian frowned. He laid back down and curled into a pillow, closing his eyes. “I’m so tired. Let me sleep a little longer.”

Trevor rubbed his thumb into his husband’s shoulder. “Alright. Do you want me to bring lunch to you? You haven’t eaten since yesterday at dinner.”

“No, I’m still full from last night,” Adrian mumbled in the sheets. He was still half awake and groggy, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep again. His mental facilities had nothing else in mind, either. His stomach still felt full from the dinner they had shared the night before, a large deer Trevor had gotten when he hunted game earlier in the day. He wasn’t in the mood for lunch.

“Alright. Let me know if you need anything, ba--” Trevor halted, his eyes wide as he came to a realization. “Oh shit!” he exclaimed, his hand ruffling his hair. “Shit, shit, shit, _ shit!” _

“Trevor!” Adrian huffed with irritation. “Will you shut the  _ fuck  _ up so I can sleep?”

Trevor snapped out of his thoughts. He was in a panic, his heart racing in his forehead. He shook Adrian’s shoulder. Adrian huffed again and swatted his hand away. He curled deeper into the sheets. 

“Adrian,  _ Adrian _ , baby,” Trevor said, the words falling from his mouth. He was trying to be coherent, but it wasn’t working. 

“Don’t call me _ baby _ after bothering me,” Adrian retorted. 

“No, no!  _ Baby _ .”

“No,  _ what?” _ Adrian opened his eyes and glared at him. “Say what you mean, asshole.”

“Shit,” Trevor cursed. He inhaled and collect his thoughts. He pointed at his husband with his index finger. “You’re pregnant.”

Adrian leaned up in bed, the sheets tangling with him. His anxiety shot through him, and the urge to puke was intense in his throat. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and held out his hand for Trevor to take. Trevor grabbed it and hoisted him up. He went to leave the room, Trevor’s hand still in his. 

“I’m going to--” He paused. Bile rose in his throat. He rushed to the bath, tugging Trevor along with him. He found a bucket and hunched over it, expelling everything he could. Trevor held back his hair. When Adrian finished, he looked up at his husband with shock in his eyes. They both said the same thing at the same time. 

“It worked.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They took their science and magic a little too far. lol ;)
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and feedback! It's a different story, for me to write anyway. It's pretty different from the last fic I wrote as well. It's always fun to see where fiction takes you. :)


	5. Confirmation

The couple stared at each other in the bath. Adrian eventually stood and emptied his bucket down the sink, turning his head so he wouldn’t have to look. Afterward, he rinsed his mouth to rid himself of the aftertaste. Trevor’s eyes stayed trained on him the entire time. His jaw was slack, a lost and shocked look in his eyes. Adrian blushed and turned around to face his husband again. 

“I will conduct a blood test to confirm it,” Adrian mumbled. 

“You’re pregnant,” Trevor mumbled back. 

“Yes. I would say so. The blood test will just check my hormone levels.”

Trevor walked up to him and cupped his jawline. They kissed, Trevor peppering Adrian with warm affections over and over again. Adrian flushed at the sudden onslaught of tenderness, his cheeks warm with a flurry of emotions. He couldn’t process what was going on, or how exactly they had gotten to this point. Trevor continued his affections. 

“I love you,” he mumbled. “You’re the best scientist I’ve ever known.”

“I’m the _ only _ scientist you’ve ever known,” Adrian said with a chuckle. 

“Adrian,  _ Adrian, _ we made a baby!” he exclaimed, nervous excitement in his eyes.

“I know, love,” Adrian smiled. 

Trevor crouched down. He lifted the hem of Adrian’s shirt, placing a gentle kiss right below his belly-button. Adrian blushed, his cheeks hot. It wasn’t often he saw the soft side of Trevor, if his memory served him right, the last time he was this tender was on their wedding day. Adrian swallowed the emotions in his eyes. He wanted to cry, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. 

“Hi, baby,” Trevor mumbled into his skin. 

“The baby is probably the size of a pea, if not smaller,” Adrian said, his hands on Trevor’s shoulders. 

“That’s alright. This one is going to grow strong, it’s a Belmont.”

**~*~**

The further testing Adrian conducted proved their expectations true. He was surprised to realize how fast everything had transpired. They had only tried once, and that one time worked. Adrian noted in his journal how powerful the serum he had created was, and how successful it proved to be in achieving results. He was a scientist at heart, which meant everything was being promptly written down and recorded. He had journals for his journals, and notes scattered over the tables in the alchemy lab. 

A few weeks passed since they had found out. Adrian pulled his journal out and calculated his progress, which came to be the ninth week. When they had first found out, he hadn’t felt much of anything in regards to symptoms, only tiredness he had blamed on long hours studying. When Trevor had suggested he was carrying a child, everything clicked together in Adrian’s mind, and the pure shock was enough to cause him to vomit in the bath. The few weeks after, he hadn’t had morning sickness, but was getting consistently more tired. 

Yet, this week, he could  _ feel _ it. He was exhausted, and he slept most of the day. He would wake midday, read in bed, then join Trevor for dinner. He had expelled his meal every day this week. Trevor insisted he’d eat something afterward, even if he didn’t want to. Late nights he ate a small plate of bread and cheese with water, and it was the only meal his stomach approved of. 

Trevor climbed into bed one night, immediately wrapping his arms around Adrian’s frame. He buried his nose into his hair and hummed, his hands rubbing circles into his hip. Adrian groaned and shifted. Getting his hip massaged felt like relief, though he had no aches or pains there. 

“The baby’s about the size of an olive now,” Trevor mumbled. 

“Someone’s been reading quite a bit,” Adrian sighed. He placed his hand over Trevor’s.

“Sure. I found books in my family vaults.”

“It’s tiring. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. The baby is using my energy to grow.”

“Rest as much as you need, sweetheart.”

Adrian blushed and buried his head into the pillow.  _ “Sweetheart _ is a new one.”

“Yeah, well, I just made it up,” Trevor said with a chuckle, “well, I saw it in a book and liked it.”

“You’re adorable when you’re not an asshole,” Adrian laughed. He shifted so he was on his back. He peered at his husband with a soft smirk on his lips. 

“That’s nice to know,” Trevor chuckled. He leaned down for a kiss. “I bet you’re going to be so cute when you’re even more pregnant.”

_ “Even more?” _ Adrian raised his brow. “You really think hearing me complain is endearing? It’ll only get worse from here.”

“You don’t really complain. I mean, you tell me what you’re feeling, but that’s not the same thing.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Adrian sighed. He cupped Trevor’s cheek. “Tomorrow marks week ten. Let’s go get the things out of your closet. It’ll take a while to clean and make any repairs they may need.”

Trevor’s eyes widened. “O-Oh, right…”

“What’s wrong?” 

“Going to get the crib makes it feel more real...if you get what I mean. Right now, you don’t look like you’re carrying a baby at all...I don’t know. I’m not making any damn sense.” 

Adrian nodded. He smiled with reassurance, giving his husband a kiss on the cheek. “I understand. You don’t have to make sense for me to get what you’re saying.”

Trevor smiled back. “I know. It’s what makes you such a good spouse.”

**~*~**

They opened the rusty hinges to the closet, the creaks echoing through the space. Adrian hadn’t felt out of the ordinary when he had woke, other than the tiredness he had grown used to. However, following Trevor down into the vaults caused his stomach to thrash more than he expected. He had traversed this path dozens of times, but this was the first time it had made him feel queasy.

Everything in the room was exactly how they left it. Adrian walked up to the bassinet and grabbed the toy bear within it. He held it in his hands and stared into its black, beady eyes. He wondered what Trevor was like when he was a boy, dragging this bear everywhere with him as they adventured the forest. He couldn’t help but think of their own child doing the same thing. Trevor walked past him and put his hands on the crib, his face pensive. 

Adrian put his hand on Trevor’s shoulder. “How are you feeling, love?”

“S-Sorry…” Trevor sniffled. He wiped his eyes. Adrian rubbed his shoulder and hugged him, kissing him on the edge of the jawline. 

“It’s alright for you to experience emotions.”

Trevor nodded. He took the plush bear out of Adrian’s free hand and studied it. “I never thought this was something I would be able to do.” He paused and sighed. “Not necessarily because I married you, but when I was younger, I thought I’d be long dead before I had the chance. I’ve lived rough, Adrian. I was thirteen out on my own. I knew everyone in my family was dead. I knew I couldn’t even go home because there was nothing to go back to.

“I’m hell bent our kid is never going to live that way. Honestly, between the two of us, I think we could fend off anything. But...I still remember. And...I’ll always worry about you and the baby. Especially while you’re pregnant.”

Adrian frowned. He snuggled into his husband’s shoulder. “I know, my dear. It would be a lie for me to say I’m not worried. I’m not a typical child bearer. Beyond that, we used outside help in the form of serum and magic to make this happen. I monitor my progress every day to make sure everything is going along as it should.”

“I love you. What you’re doing for us is incredible. You didn’t have to, Adrian. You’ve gone through a lot, and will go through so much more, just to bring us a family. And you were never obligated to.”

“I want it too, Trevor. I told you when I proposed to you, if there was ever something I couldn’t give you, I’d rack my brain until I figured out how.”

“Thank you.”


	6. Fears

It was a calm, early morning with a breeze. Surprisingly, Adrian had woken up early in the morning with more energy than he had had in weeks. Trevor was already gone, as he usually left at dawn and came back in the early afternoon. Adrian decided to pay him a visit and see what he was up to. For some reason, he felt vibrant and energetic. He decided to take advantage of it while it was present, for there would come a time where he would be cranky and fatigued. It was just a matter of when that time would come. 

The staircase leading down into the vaults smelt of freshly installed wood. It was a pleasing, calming smell, the rot and decay of years replaced with regal class and tender care. Adrian reached the bottom and opened one of the large doors that lead to the archives. He walked up to the balcony that overlooked the space and peered around. He spotted his husband at the very bottom, his back turned. Adrian gazed at him, and it became clear he was holding a book in his hands. He made his way down. He crept up behind him and wrapped his arms around his torso. 

“Hello,” Adrian said into his ear. Trevor startled. 

_ “Christ,” _ he huffed, “what did I say about sneaking up on me like that?”

“I just wanted to see what you were up to.”

Trevor raised his brow. He turned around, releasing him from Adrian’s hold. “Did you climb down _ all _ those stairs?”

“Yes,” Adrian said as if it were obvious. He shrugged. 

“Damn it, Adrian!” Trevor exclaimed. He threw up his arms. “You’re pregnant. Don’t do that.”

“What does that have to do with anything?!” Adrian retorted. “Pregnant people benefit from exercise.” 

“It’s like a thousand fucking stairs.”

“So?”

“How is the baby going to grow if you use all your energy climbing stairs?”

“I’m stronger than you, Trevor,” Adrian scoffed. 

“I don’t care,” Trevor said. He shut the book in his hand and put it down. “Isn’t your belly sore?”

Adrian blushed, embarrassment warming his skin. “H-How did you know?”

“This book I was reading,” Trevor said as he pointed to the book. “It says it can get sore, and I can see it, so…”

“You can  _ see _ it?”

“Yeah. Barely, but it's there. What is this now, week fourteen?”

Adrian nodded. “Yes. I’m in what’s considered second trimester now.”

Trevor walked over to a sofa and beckoned Adrian to follow. They sat together, Trevor’s arm wrapping around his husband’s shoulders. Adrian sighed and stared into the abyss of bookshelves. He expected Trevor to be attentive, but the amount of time he spent studying was a surprise to Adrian. He thought he’d be the one keeping up with all the information and notes, but Trevor was right behind him when it came to observing the process. It was a warm feeling, knowing he had support, even if it Adrian knew it would teeter into overbearing territory as he progressed. 

“I noticed a little pouch, but I thought it was me just hyperfocusing on that part of my body,” Adrian admitted. “It’s sore, but not hindering. I forget its lingering if I keep busy.”

“It’s not just you. I can see it,” Trevor said. Adrian blushed. 

“O-Oh…”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“A little…”

Trevor sighed. He rubbed Adrian’s shoulder. “What’s there to be embarrassed about? That’s our kid in there. It’s not like there’s any else around to look at you, anyways.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“I’ve been reading everything I can on how to deliver the baby.”

Adrian lurched. His heart sped, the reverb from its thumping in his throat. He hadn’t been nauseous in a week or so, but that was quickly changing. The inevitable hadn’t been on his mind much, partly because it wasn’t obvious he was carrying a child. The thought of what would come at the end of the process had his mind racing. He was fearful all the manipulation he had done with magic and medicine would come back to haunt him when it was time for the child to be born. What if there was some unknown complication that could arise from serum or magic spells? The information wasn’t there to know for certain, and it drove anxiety straight to his core. 

“A-Are you okay with that?” Adrian mumbled. He squeezed the fabric of his trousers. 

“Yeah. Whatever it takes to keep you and the baby safe.”

“W-What if there’s s-some complication? How are we going to deal with that?”

“Knowing what to do in case it happens is a start.”

Adrian cringed. He shook his head, stars in his vision. “You’re supposed to say everything is going to be okay, asshole.”

Trevor’s eyes widened. He played with Adrian’s hair, brushing his fingers through long strands of it. “Are you scared of birth, baby?”

“I...I…” Adrian stuttered, his cheeks pink. “Well...yes…”

“You’ll do fine, Adrian. I’m going to be with you. Not to mention the endless supply of tools we have to make you more comfortable.”

“What if I die?”

Trevor swallowed. Sweat formed at the nape of his neck at hearing what Adrian had asked. They had been so eager to conceive, what came beyond that wasn’t at the forefront of their minds. Not Trevor’s, anyway. He was honestly shocked their first try had worked. Part of him thought Adrian would change his mind after failing and they would go back to their old routines, never to speak of it again. He knew Adrian better than that, once something was on his mind there wasn’t much to be done to stop him. 

“Adrian, if this was a concern for you, why didn’t you say something  _ before  _ I knocked you up?”

“Because it wasn’t a fear of mine until I learned I was pregnant. It’s not as much as I’m scared of pain or myself as much as I am our child. I don’t care what happens to me if it means the child is healthy. But, of course, I want to be there for my baby.”

“You’ll be there,” Trevor reassured. “Being nervous of childbirth is a normal thing.”

“You sure have been reading a whole hell of a lot.”

“Well, that bit came from my mother. She told my sisters about her fears when she gave birth. I just happened to hear it.”

Adrian raised his brow in interest. “Oh? What did she say?”

Trevor shrugged. “My sister Aelina was fifteen. In a few years she would’ve been off in the world. My mother wanted to warn us about everything she could, and for my sisters, that included the possibility of childbirth. She said she would get ill just thinking of birth in the weeks before. Yet, once it was happening, all her focus shifted to ‘getting the baby the hell out’, and her fears got drowned in the haze. Her words, not mine,” he chuckled. 

“My mother hemorrhaged when I was born,” Adrian responded with a nod. “My father had to try a variety of methods before a tincture finally got it to stop. By the time that happened, she was near death. Not to mention I wasn’t breathing at birth and my lungs had to be drained of fluid. It’s a wonder he kept both of us alive.”

“Wait, your father was there?” 

“Yes. It was just her and him. He did the delivery and the care, well, he did everything except give birth. Much like us.”

“Christ, was there anything your father  _ couldn’t _ do?” 

“Not likely.”

Trevor sighed. He wouldn’t admit it to Adrian, but he was nervous about delivering their child. He knew he _could_ do it, but he just didn’t know how well he would. There was no true way of knowing until they were in the thick of it, and by then, what if it was too late? Trevor didn’t want to burden Adrian with his own pre-parental panic, it was clear he had enough on his mind already. The best he could do was read and study about everything to do with pregnancy every day. He had spent the past week reading alone in the Belmont vault instead of working on repairs. He had never liked to read much, but he was more than motivated to do it for his spouse and unborn child. Trevor had read more books in one month than he had in years. 

“We’ll be fine. The best way to be prepared is to be smart about it, right?” Trevor reassured, kissing Adrian on the cheek. 

“Yes. I’d say we’re doing a fine job at that,” Adrian said. He watched as his husband’s hand cupped the slightly swollen area at his lower abdomen. 

“I found some newborn clothing that I wore as a baby. What do you think?”

“It means less work for us, either going to market or sewing them ourselves. I think it’s sweet for our baby to wear Papa’s old clothing.”

Trevor flushed. _ “Papa?” _

“What else would you be called?” Adrian asked. He put his hand over Trevor’s at his abdomen. 

“It’s not that. I like it. It’s just strange to my ear.”

Adrian chuckled. He stood and stretched. “I’m hungry. Since you’re not fond of me climbing stairs, will you volunteer to carry me?”

Trevor laughed. “Fine. I keep my word.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of fluff while they talk about the future. <3
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos! I really appreciate it! You guys are so sweet! :)


	7. Strawberry Bread

The couple sat at the long-table in the kitchen. It was mid-morning, and they served themselves breakfast after a day of sleeping in. It was mostly quiet with casual conversation sprinkled throughout. Trevor had baked two loaves, one with olive oil and the other with fresh strawberries. Adrian grabbed a slice of the strawberry loaf and doused it with honey. 

“Trevor, love, this is amazing,” he mumbled in between a bite, “I can't stop eating it.”

“Are you sure it’s not just because you’re eating for two?” Trevor chuckled. He grabbed a slice of the other loaf and poured a glass of wine. 

“No, it’s really that good,” Adrian insisted. A warm feeling filled his heart. The weeks had passed, and he was now at week twenty. It was now more obvious there was a child nestled in him, as a clear bump outlined the fabric of his shirt. He had more energy than he did earlier in the pregnancy, and today, he had woke very affectionate. And _hungry._ The sweet tasting dish Trevor made them was the perfect partner to his mood. He scooted closer to his husband and gave him a kiss. 

“You know what happened today?” Adrian asked, his voice light and playful.

Trevor raised a brow, a small smile on his lips. “No. What is it?”

“I realized I’m married to my husband and he’s so handsome. Gruff, but handsome,” Adrian mused aloud. He giggled and rubbed his stomach. “And guess what? I’m carrying his baby. Isn’t that something?”

“Those hormones have gone to your head,” Trevor said with a blush. 

“Isn’t our baby cute, Trevor?”

“I can’t see it.”

Adrian frowned. His eyes flashed with annoyance. “Isn’t our baby _cute,_ Trevor?” he reiterated. 

“Yeah, Yeah!” Trevor reassured, his cheeks reddening again. “Cutest kid ever. Look at that bump. Adorable,” he chuckled nervously. Adrian smiled and brought his hands together at his abdomen. 

“I know!” he said. “I think the baby likes strawberries.”

“I’m sure they do, with how many you’ve eaten the passed few days.” 

Adrian gasped, another slice of bread in his hands. “Trevor!” he exclaimed. 

Trevor flinched. One hand wrapped around Adrian’s shoulder, the other cupped his swollen abdomen. Fear flashed through his chest, heat bubbling on his skin. He leaned in and stared into Adrian’s eyes with worry. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice more frantic than he intended. 

“We don’t have any more strawberries!” 

_“Oh, Jesus of Nazareth!”_ Trevor sighed, his hand going to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Are you trying to kill me?!”

“What’s the baby going to eat now?” Adrian furrowed his brow. He finished the last slice of strawberry bread. 

“Something else?” he said as if it were obvious. 

“Can you get us some more?” 

Trevor shook his head with another sigh. “I’m guessing you don’t mean you and I?”

“W-Well, we can share, but only if the baby decides they don’t want any more.”

“I’m not sure the baby’s _deciding_ anything. But, of course, my dear, sweet husband,” Trevor said, a bit of sarcasm in his voice, “I will go to the market and get you strawberries.”

“You’re incredible, Trevor. I’m so glad I married you!” Adrian said with glee. He kissed his husband on the cheek. 

“Yeah, sure. Me too, sweetheart.”

**~*~**

Trevor made his way to the market on horseback. It was a calm, clear morning. The sunlight filtered through the trees and sprinkled shadows along the road ahead, a light breeze shuffling the leaves above. He whistled to himself for no particular reason, then quieted after his mind started drifting to other things. 

He loved Adrian more than anyone or anything. Of course he did, he had gotten married after all, despite their conflicting backgrounds. Beyond that, he loved their baby with the same level of affection. It didn’t matter that they technically hadn’t met yet, it was his child, his child with Adrian above all. It was still surreal to think a child would be born with mixed qualities from both of them. He wondered what that would look like in appearance and personality. 

Despite his deep-rooted affection, he couldn’t deny it: pregnant Adrian was a handful. He hadn’t been that way during the first trimester. He mostly slept. Trevor baked light, airy bread for him to eat with cheese, and it helped him get through the nausea and sickness that wouldn't allow him to keep anything else down. Aside from that, things had gone on relatively normal. Yet, once a bump had become noticeable, things changed, and changed quickly from week to week. Some days Adrian was gloomy, others he was hot-headed. He always apologized when he snapped and said something _off,_ tears usually accompanied it. There was the odd occasion, such as today, where he was extremely loving. It was like a spin-wheel, where the arrow landed at random was Adrian’s mood for the day. However, more often than not, he was his usual self. But, sometimes, that was not the case. 

Trevor sighed and got lost in the sight of the trees. He did whatever Adrian requested. How could he not? Adrian had manipulated reality to get them to this point. Trevor suspected part of the reason his moods were intense was because of the manipulation, his body reacted to the changes differently than the average woman’s would. Even so, it was odd to see Adrian want to snuggle with Trevor and the random stuffed bear placed at his abdomen “for the baby”. It wasn’t the usual Adrian, not the sarcastic, quick-witted one he was used to. Trevor really didn’t understand what _exactly_ hormones were, but he could see how they could change someone drastically, even if for only short intervals. 

When he arrived at the market, he went to the fresh fruit vendor and bought the entire stock of strawberries. The old woman gave him a peculiar look, but Trevor paid it no mind. The strawberries would be gone within a week if Adrian kept eating them at the rate he was. He continued to browse the goods, the reign of his horse in hand. He approached a clothing vendor and stopped. The front was littered with newborn clothing. He couldn’t help but take a look. 

A white gown with a gold bow caught his eye. He picked it up and inspected it, the edges lined with ruffles. The shopkeeper walked up to him. 

“That one’s for a newborn just a few hours old,” she said, “the midwife will wrap a baby in it to keep them warm while giving them room to wiggle around.”

Trevor flushed at the word _midwife._ He shook the thought away. “I’ll take it,” he said. He put coin in the woman’s hand. She smiled at him. 

“You must be a sweet husband, buying things for your wife and baby,” she said. “How far along is she?”

“U-Uh...five months?” Trevor said, his face pale. The shopkeeper nodded. 

“She sent you to fetch things for her didn’t she?”

“Yeah. Strawberries.”

The woman laughed. She pulled out a box from below the vending stand and shuffled through it. She pulled out a larger, white gown. “Your wife is going to get more uncomfortable as time passes. Her clothing is probably tight now as it is. It’s especially hindering at night when she’s trying to sleep. This gown has extra room at the belly. She can wear now until birth.”

Trevor studied it. There was a chance Adrian might kill him for buying a gown, but on the other hand, it was possible he would shower him in affection for it. He might not want it now, but later on…

“I’ll take it,” Trevor said, pulling out more coin. 

“This is your first baby, isn’t it?” the woman asked. She folded the gown and handed it to Trevor. 

“Yeah. Can you tell by the lost look in my eyes?” 

“Actually, yes. But it’s nothing to be ashamed of. There are a few more things I can show you if you’re interested. You seem like a nice young man, I’ll even give you a discount.”

“Really? I appreciate it.”

**~*~**

Trevor returned in the late afternoon. He unloaded his horse and dragged everything inside. He put the strawberries away in the kitchen, then went to their shared bedroom and laid out everything he had bought from the clothing vendor. He was quite proud of himself, buying all these supplies alone. There was no sign of Adrian, so he went to the library, where he found him in a chair by the window. One hand held his book, the other rested on his abdomen. He looked up and smiled at Trevor. 

“I got the strawberries,” Trevor said with a shrug. Going to the market and dragging everything he bought home was tiring, but he wouldn’t dare admit it. 

“Thank you, love,” Adrian said. His stance was of his usual self, a stark change from the overly affectionate demeanor he had in the morning. He shut the book and stood, walking across the room to meet his husband. They kissed. Trevor’s hands wrapped around his waist. 

“I got a few more things. They’re in our bedroom. Let me show you,” Trevor said. Adrian furrowed his brows as they ventured to their bedroom. Once there, Trevor guided him to spread of items on the bedding. Adrian’s eyes widened. 

“What is all this, Trevor?” he asked. 

Trevor started pointing to the items one by one, explaining what each of them were. “This is a gown for the baby to wear right after they’re born. Let’s see...this is a gown for you to wear to bed if your usual clothing gets too uncomfortable. The mittens are to keep the baby from scratching themselves. There’s a blanket to wrap the baby in and a pillow for you to lay under your belly when it gets uncomfortable. Well, the lady said to lay on your side and put it under. Make sense?”

Adrian shook his head, his brow furrowed. “You bought all of this?”

“Yeah. Is that okay? I mean, I feel like the lady was really trying to help me. Maybe she was just being nice to get some coin, but whatever…”

“It’s fine. I’m just surprised.”

“What? That I could go shopping all by myself?”

“To put it bluntly, _yes,”_ Adrian said. He kissed Trevor’s cheek. “It’s wonderful, dear. Thank you.”

Trevor smiled. “It’s not a problem.”

“I know I can be hard to handle. Waves just come over me, I have a hard time controlling them,” Adrian admitted. He picked up the blanket and held the soft fabric in his hands. 

“Hey, that’s okay. I get it. Just focus on growing a strong, healthy baby and I’ll take care of the rest.”

“I can do that without being the pain in the ass I am right now.”

Trevor frowned. He cupped Adrian’s cheek and gently angled towards him so they made eye-contact. There were tears in his husband’s eyes, which he promptly swiped away. “Adrian,” he said softly, “you’re fine. I don’t have a problem with fetching you things. I promise.”

Adrian sighed. He leaned his head on Trevor’s shoulder. “You must be annoyed at my moods.”

“Not really. I mean, it’s strange seeing your overly affectionate, cuddly side, but I’m not complaining.” 

“Everything has been proceeding as a normal pregnancy would. Sometimes I get stressed and scared the hammer is going to drop on us without any warning.”

“That’s with _any_ pregnancy, you know that. There’s no sense in worrying about things you can’t control anyway,” Trevor said, running his fingers through Adrian’s hair. 

“I suppose,” Adrian sighed. “There is one thing that has been on my mind.”

“What is it?”

“What were you like as a boy? I don’t think you’ve ever told me. The only thing I’ve heard you talk about is your tree.”

“I guess I haven’t, have I?” Trevor said. “It’s never really come up. How about I make you some more strawberry bread while I tell you?”

Adrian leaned back with a smile and a raised brow. “Are you sure you want to go through the trouble of baking _another_ one of those today? Especially when I’m just going to eat it all?”

“Yeah, why not? I don’t have anything better to do.”

“I’m certainly won’t convince you not to.”

Trevor laughed. He grabbed Adrian’s hand and lead him out of their bedroom. “Of course you won’t. Let’s go.”


	8. The Mischievous Kid

Adrian sat at the table in the kitchen as Trevor kneaded dough. He had a bowl of strawberries and a bowl of honey. A strawberry was dunked into the sweet liquid and put into his mouth. Adrian sighed as the warm taste hit his tongue. He never knew anything could taste so _delightful._ His eyes flicker up to his husband, a soft smile on his lips and his lurid eyes bright. 

“I love you, Trevor,” he mused aloud. Trevor glanced up at him with a smile. 

“I love you too, Adrian,” he said back. 

“You treat me like royalty, though I’m not entirely sure why.”

“Well, you’re pregnant with our baby. It’s not easy for you, I know.”

Adrian frowned. “It’s bearable.”

“Just bearable?” Trevor raised a brow. He put the dough into the hearth and sat beside Adrian. 

“The symptoms are not easy to handle, but then I remember it’s our little son or daughter and it makes it bearable.”

Trevor flushed. He snagged a strawberry from the bowl and Adrian chuckled at him. 

“Take as many as you’d like, dear,” Adrian said, eating another for himself. “Though, I do recall you were going to tell me a story or two.”

“I guess I did, didn’t I?” Trevor chuckled. “Well, having two sisters, maybe you can tell how that dynamic went.”

**~*~**

“Trevor, get back here, you worm!”

Trevor laughed and ran down the grandiose staircase. He had two stuffed dolls in his hands, his boots clicking against the wood. Another set of boots sounded behind him, then yet another not long after that. He ran through the lower level of their large home, coming to the parlour. He turned around, stuck his tongue out, then tripped over the stairs leading to the dining room. He fell to the ground and a crash. 

The two sets of boots caught up to him. His sisters peered over him with annoyed looks. 

“You’re so annoying,” Aelina sighed. She snatched the dolls from his hands. “Taking our dolls right out of our hands while we’re playing with them!”

“So?” Trevor retorted. He sat up on the floor and stared at his fuming sisters above him. 

“So?!” Edith retorted back. “That’s all you have to say?”

“Yeah.” 

“That’s pathetic,” Aelina said. “I guess you’re only six, so it’s not a surprise.”

“So?” Trevor said again. “You’re nine!”

“Exactly, Trevor, I’m nine. Older than _you.”_

“So?”

“Stop that!” Edith interjected. “It’s annoying. Say something else for a change!”

Trevor smirked.  _ “So?” _

Aelina groaned. She glanced to her sister with a smirk of her own. “Hey, Edith, how about we teach him a lesson?”

“I think we should!” Edith grinned. The girls stepped forward. They each took one of Trevor’s arms, holding him from being able to move. With their free hands, they tickled him at the stomach without mercy. Trevor squirmed, laughs pouring from his mouth. 

“Stop, stop!” he said said between laughs that echoed the room. 

“Only if you promise not to steal our dolls again,” Aelina said. 

Before he could respond, another person entered the dining room. The girls stopped immediately and let go of Trevor’s arms. Trevor turned around to see their father standing in the doorway at the other side of the room. 

“What’s going on in here, children?” he asked. 

“They were tickling me and it was  _ hurting!” _ Trevor exclaimed, his voice overly-dramatic. The girls rolled their eyes. 

“Only because he stole our dolls right out of our hands!” Aelina said, holding up her doll. Their father shook his head. He walked across the room and stared down at his son. 

“Is that true, Trevor?” he asked. 

Trevor pouted. “Yeah.”

“Then I can’t help you, son,” he laughed. He put his hand out to him. “Come on.”

Trevor took his hand and stood. His father turned around. “I’ll talk to him, girls,” he said, “go see if your mother needs help with dinner.”

The next Trevor knew, they were outside in the front courtyard. His father let go of his hand as they sat together at the edge of the fountain that decorated the middle of the space. Trevor swing his feet and hummed, a pout still on his lips. He spoke, not thinking of what he was saying. 

“Why are girls always right?”

His father chuckled. “It wasn’t as much they were right as it was you being blatantly mischievous. They get into trouble sometimes, and you know that. They just don’t get into sticky situations as much as you do.”

“But when you and Mother talk she insists she’s right and you agree with her.”

“That’s sometimes, yes,” he chuckled again, “but that’s marriage. It’s different than the relationship you have with your sisters.”

Trevor shrugged. “Why?”

“You don’t understand this now, but someday you might: when your spouse is the one bearing your children, sometimes you’ve just gotta agree.”

“I don’t get it.”

His father laughed his arm around Trevor’s shoulders. “You don’t have to right now. But, you need to understand one thing.”

Trevor looked up at him. “What’s that?”

“You need to stop teasing your sisters and stealing their personal belongings. They’ll probably get less annoyed at you if you were a bit nicer.”

“Fine,” he huffed. 

“That’s the spirit,” his father smiled, “now let’s go eat dinner.”

**~*~**

Adrian took the last strawberry out of the bowl and bit into it. His brows furrowed as he replayed the story in his head. He wasn’t at all surprised Trevor was a trouble-maker as a child. He would’ve been surprised if he _wasn’t._ He couldn’t help but wonder if some of that mischievous attitude would manifest in their child. He sighed, taking a sip of water. 

“Are you saying,” Adrian finally said, “you’re only agreeing with me because I’m  _ pregnant?” _

“N-No!” Trevor exclaimed. “Where’d you get that idea?”

“Well, of all the stories you could’ve told me, you told me this one. It seems to me it was on your mind because you now understand your father’s words.”

_ “Jesus,” _ Trevor mumbled, “Baby, I agree with you because I agree with you! Promise!”

“I’m just teasing, Trevor. It seems to me you were quite the trouble-maker.”

“Well, I was. My father made me dust the vaults one time I hide my sister’s jewelry box in the attic. Heh, who knew I’d be doing that on my own accord as an adult?”

Adrian frowned. He went to respond, but a light pang at his abdomen kept him from doing so. He rubbed at the spot, and not long after, it presented itself again. He furrowed his brow and concentrated on it. Once it happened the third time, he smiled and looked up at his husband. Trevor stared at him with wide, anxious eyes. 

“What is it?” he asked. 

“Feel for yourself,” Adrian said. He took Trevor’s hand and placed it at the spot. Everything was still a moment before Adrian felt it again. He glanced up to see Trevor’s face contorted into shock and confusion. 

“I-Is that?”

“Yes.”

Trevor grinned. He rubbed his hand over the spot. “Oh, Papa’s so proud of you, baby!” he cooed. “Kick some more for Papa!”

“That’ll make me nauseous,” Adrian groaned. 

“Ignore him. Come on, you’re a baby Belmont.”

“Ignore  _ me?” _ Adrian said with a smirk. Another pang hit his stomach. Trevor cheered. 

“Yes!” he exclaimed. “Adrian, this is great!”

“I’m glad you’re happy, love.”

“Aren’t you?”

Adrian smiled and kissed his husband on the lips. “Of course, though my insides will soon enough not be.”

Trevor laughed. Adrian leaned on his shoulder as they enjoyed the quiet. It wouldn’t be long before their nights of silence would be long gone. With the end of the quiet, they would gain something much greater. Adrian wasn’t sure what it meant to be a parent yet, but in the moment, it felt great. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always thought Trevor was a mischievous kid. lol 
> 
> Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos! I really appreciate it! :)


	9. The Walk

It was a quiet day in the library. Adrian read a book by the window, his legs stretched across an ottoman. Trevor tinkered with an old blade he had found in the Belmont hold, trying to repair it back to its former glory. He made clinks and clanks as he tried to sharpen the blade, the noise echoing the room. Adrian cringed and set his book down. 

“Trevor,” he sighed. One hand rubbed at his forehead while the other rested on his abdomen. It was now the twenty-eight week of pregnancy and severe discomforts were starting to set in. He was easily irritated at excessive noise, for more often than not some part of his body ached. Sometimes nerve pain shot down his legs and made it difficult to move from place to place. There was no predicting what symptoms would crop up when. In addition to that, the child was much more active, and the kicks were often more powerful than the light jabs they started out as. He didn’t want to admit it to Trevor, but he was  _ miserable. _ Trevor was always so ecstatic to feel their child move, Adrian couldn’t bring himself to ruin it by huffing about how uncomfortable he was. 

Trevor didn’t seem to hear him. He continued his tinkering, which Adrian swore got ten times louder. The rings echoed in Adrian’s head and amplified the tension at his temple. He was starting to get agitated, his mood souring quickly. 

“Trevor!” he said a little louder. Trevor stopped and looked across the room at him. 

“What?” he said with a nonchalant tone. 

“That tinkering is giving me a headache.”

“Oh. Sorry, baby.”

The room got quiet again. Adrian sighed with relief. There was peace for a few minutes, the only sound the pencil strokes of Trevor scribbling something down on a scrap piece of paper. Adrian grew restless. The sudden urge to get around and walk came over him, and it couldn’t be ignored. He rested so often these days, sometimes the wish to move around came to him suddenly and without mercy. His moods were more finicky now than they had been the entire pregnancy. He pushed himself out of the chair and stood, Trevor standing and rushing over to him. 

“Do you need something?” Trevor asked, his hand coming to rest at the small of Adrian’s back. 

“No, Trevor, I’m fine,” Adrian said. He took a deep breath and tried his best not to get agitated. “I  _ can _ walk, you know.”

“I know, but...uh...sometimes you don’t want to?”

“I’m well aware.”

Trevor shrugged. His eyes flicked from Adrian’s face down to his swollen abdomen. “So...what are you doing?”

Adrian clenched his fists. His will not to snap at his husband was wearing thin. “I am going to talk a  _ walk _ outside, my dear, sweet husband,” he responded, sarcasm dripping off his tongue. 

“Let me go with you.”

“Fine.”

**~*~**

The fresh air and cool breeze did wonders to calm Adrian’s mood. It did him well to walk and stretch his legs, and a few of the aches he had loosened a little. Sometimes he felt he rested a bit  _ too  _ much, but those times, he couldn’t bring himself to move around. After a few minutes of walking in quiet, Adrian reached for Trevor’s hand and intertwined his with it. Trevor glanced over to him. 

“You know, I never knew pregnant bellies could get this big,” Trevor said out of the blue. 

Adrian shook his head as his face flushed. “You're such an asshole, Trevor,” he laughed. 

“Why? What did I say this time?”

“Don’t you know it’s faux pas to tell a pregnant person how  _ big _ they are?”

“Shit, how the hell was I supposed to know?!” Trevor exclaimed. He sighed and groaned. “Sorry.”

“I don’t care, Trevor,” Adrian laughed again. “You know I like to tease you.”

“Yeah, sure…” he mumbled with a blush. 

“If you think this is big, wait until full term.”

Trevor furrowed his brow. He stole a glance at Adrian’s abdomen again. “Damn…” He paused for a moment and turned his head to the side. “How are you gonna get it out…?” he mumbled again. 

Adrian raised his brow. “Excuse me?” he said with a light tone. “What did you say?”

“Oh, nothing…” 

“Lies. I heard what you said. You just don't want to admit it is, in fact, what you said.”

Trevor returned a raised brow. “What did I say?”

“You’re wondering how I’m going to ‘get it out’.”

“Fine,” Trevor sighed, “you got me.”

Adrian chuckled in triumph. “You’re well aware of how a child’s born, so I won’t explain to you.”

“Yeah, I know, but ... _ damn.” _

“I sincerely hope you won’t get squeamish on me when I go to give birth.”

“I won’t. We’ve been going over the process together. I can handle it.”

“You better make sure I’m not giving birth and delivering the child all on my own,” Adrian laughed, squeezing his husband’s hand. 

They continued to walk, the quiet taking over their conversation. Adrian tucked hair behind his ear and listened to the birds that chirped from the forests in the distance. Trevor’s attention turned to the trees as well. His vision got lost in the green foliage and the streams of sunlight filtering through the branches. His daze faded when he saw what looked like a person walking through the trees in the distance. He stiffened and glanced to Adrian, who didn’t seem to notice. Trevor tugged on Adrian’s hand, trying his best to stay casual. He didn’t want to frighten his husband, yet he wanted to steer them back inside. Adrian was in no condition to be in a confrontation, if it came to that. Trevor couldn’t determine if the sole individual was truly alone either. Adrian looked over at him. 

“Hey, baby, why don’t we go get some lunch?” Trevor said. 

“Oh, alright,” Adrian said with a nod. They turned around and went back down the path. Trevor kept gazing around in search of the figure he saw. He thought he saw it again, but he couldn’t be certain. He sped up their pace a little until they were finally behind the large doors of the castle entrance. Adrian yawned and rubbed at his abdomen. 

“The baby’s kicking again,” he groaned. 

Trevor bit his lip. He was going to have to be upfront about what he saw. It was better to say it sooner or later, but it was difficult to get the words out in the open. There wasn’t any telling how Adrian would react, and Trevor was nervous someone was poking around them on purpose. 

“Adrian,” Trevor said, taking a deep breath, “can you ward  _ all _ the doors?”

Adrian looked over with furrowed brows. “What? Why?”

“I saw someone in the woods while we were on our walk. I don’t know who it is or what they’re doing here.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” he exclaimed. 

Trevor put up his hands. “Look, I didn’t want to scare you, or draw attention to the fact that we’re aware they’re out there.” 

“I suppose you’re right. I’m in no condition to fight anything off.”

“There’s no telling what kind of person it is. Can you ward just in case? It won’t hurt you or the baby, right?”

“No, it’s external manipulation magic. My body won’t be impacted by it at all.” Adrian closed his eyes and said a few phrases in an ancient occult language. He made a gesture with his hands. “There. It’s done.”

Trevor sighed. “Damn, that was fast. Let’s not worry too much yet. It could be some curious kid from town. Let’s go eat lunch.”

**~*~**

Adrian and Trevor sat in the library after lunch. It was quiet, each of them wondering about just _who_ was wandering around their hold. Adrian fidgeted on the sofa. The thought of someone creeping around, especially given he couldn’t help Trevor defend their home, was jarring. He stood and walked to one of the far, tall group of windows, where a telescope was set up and pointed toward the sky. He grabbed it pointed it down. From this vantage point, he could see most of the hold. He leaned forward and peered into the lens. Trevor quickly noticed what he was doing and walked over to him. 

“If they are still here, I’ll be able to see them,” Adrian said. He continued to scan the area. Trevor gazed out the window, one hand on Adrian’s shoulder. They continued in silence until Adrian spotted someone sitting on the ruins of the Belmont fountain. He readjusted the lens and amplified the magnification. What he saw made him nauseas. 

“I almost wish it were a werewolf,” he mumbled, his cheeks already flushed. 

Trevor startled. “You see them? Where?”

“Sitting on the Belmont fountain. It’s Sypha.”

“Holy fuck,” he sighed. “What is she doing sneaking up on us?!”

“How could you  _ not _ tell it was her?” Adrian retorted, a bit annoyed at the angst they had conjured up over nothing. “It’s not like she’s our friend that helped us get married or anything.”

“Shit, I don’t know! What was she doing in the woods?” 

“I don’t know. Perhaps she was looking for the entrance to the castle. Did she see us?”

“If she did, wouldn’t she have come up and said something?” Trevor shrugged. 

Adrian frowned and stepped away from the telescope. He glanced to his stomach and blushed. “We can’t just leave her out there,” he said, “Trevor, go get her. Maybe you can tell her I went to town...or something?”

“Why can’t you just come with me?”

“Because!” Adrian snapped, his skin red-hot. “How can I just walk up to her and act like nothing’s strange when I’m seven months pregnant?!”

Trevor shrugged as if it were nothing. “She always knew you were weird.”

“Ugh, where’s your empathy, bastard?”

“Fine,” Trevor huffed, “you stay here. I’ll figure out something to say to her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trevor not realizing his friend is coming to visit him. lol 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos!! I appreciate it. :)


	10. Temporary Home

Trevor hooked his short sword and whip to his belt and walked down the winding staircases of the castle. He never went outside without them. Whether or not the habit was from his cautious nature, from a past of living rough, or both, he wasn’t sure. He traveled outside and through the winding paths to the Belmont keep. He came to the ruins of the fountain, where Sypha sat, dangling her feet. Trevor relaxed. Her hood was down, making it clear just who it was. He called out to her.

“Hey.”

Sypha startled and turned around. Her nerves settled when she saw who it was. She waved, greeting him with a smile. “Trevor! I was thinking perhaps you two weren’t here at the moment.”

“We were taking a walk when I saw you in the woods,” Trevor said, sitting down beside her. “What were you doing out there?”

“Well, I tried knocking on the door to the castle, but there was no answer. After a while, I got hungry and remembered there were berry bushes in these forests, so I went to get some.”

“You didn’t see us walking around?”

Sypha frowned and shook her head. “No. I must’ve been hungrier than I thought!”

“What brings you here? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Just a visit. We haven’t seen each other in over a year now. My caravan was coming back through the area again, so I decided to come see if the castle and you two were still here. Where’s Alucard?”

Trevor cursed in his mind. He had told Adrian he’d figure out something to say to her, but that was a lie. He hadn’t figured out anything. He stalled a moment before finally putting together the best answer he could muster. 

“He’s inside.”

“Oh,” Sypha said with a nod. “Everything well in your marriage?”

“Yeah…” Trevor said with a sigh. 

“Sighing when you answer is never a good thing.”

“It’s not that. It’s just...things are different.”

Sypha frowned and put her hand on Trevor’s shoulder. “Do you need to speak about it? Are there things troubling you about your marriage?”

Trevor shook his head, putting up his hand to dismiss the thought. “No, not all! It’s just...uh...Adrian’s nervous for you to see him because...uh...he looks different…”

“What does that mean?” Sypha asked, her eyes wide. 

“Because he’s pregnant?” Trevor finally said. He spoke it as if it were a question, but there was no wondering about it, given how the last seven months had played out. There was silence between the two, a look of confusion on Sypha’s face. 

“What do you mean he’s  _ pregnant?” _ Sypha said, her brows furrowed. 

Trevor shrugged. “Don’t you know what that means? He’s going to have a kid.”

“Stop being  _ rude _ , Trevor! _How?”_

“Magic. Lots of it. Some manipulation, then some sex, then  _ boom _ : pregnant.”

Sypha blushed and turned her head away. “He’ll kill you if he finds out this is how you explained it.”

Trevor shrugged again. “He’ll probably kill me when he’s in labor, anyway.”

“At least you’re self aware,” Sypha chuckled. “Take me to him.”

**~*~**

Adrian sat in the library, flipping through a book on ancient philosophy. He wasn’t exactly sure why he had taken a sudden interest in this subject, but he’d read at least two books on it in the past day. Despite that, he could recall hardly any of the information he had read. He supposed this is what was called  _ pregnancy brain _ , his memory and focus was incredibly fogged, even if he read every word. 

The door opened. Adrian glanced up to see Trevor come into the room, Sypha behind him. He shut the book in his hands and blushed, embarrassment warming his skin. 

“A visitor’s here,” Trevor said with a blank tone. 

Adrian stood as Sypha walked across the room. A smile was bright on her face as she wrapped him in a warm embrace. Adrian startled, but after a moment, returned her gesture. 

“Oh, Alucard, congratulations! I’m so excited!” Sypha said, pulling back to look at him. 

“I didn’t get a congratulations. What the hell?” Trevor mumbled, but the other two paid him no mind. 

“So he explained everything to you?” Adrian asked. He pointed a long sofa, guiding her over to it. They sat beside each other. 

“He did a terrible job at it, but yes,” Sypha said with a laugh. 

“Why do I not doubt that?” he sighed. 

“How far along are you?” 

“Twenty-eight weeks.”

“Only twelve more to go.”

Adrian’s brows raised. Trevor walked to where they were sitting and flopped in an armchair across from them. He put a fist on his cheek as he followed their conversation. He didn’t think his explanation was  _ that _ bad. It was blunt and to the point, what else was needed? He shook the thought away as the conversation continued. 

“You have some knowledge on pregnancy?” Adrian asked. 

“Of course. All Speaker women receive teachings on pregnancy, birth, and midwifery. Not only is it to help ourselves should we have children of our own, but it’s to help each other in times of need. There’s no guarantee the lead healer is going to be around when a woman is in labor, we travel out to aid people in groups. So, we women learn everything we can to assist one another,” Sypha said with a nod. 

Trevor nearly jumped for joy. He took the fist off his chin and sat a little straighter. “Have you seen a birth before?” he asked. 

“Yes. At least a dozen.”

“A _dozen?!”_ Adrian exclaimed. 

“Of course. It’s not an abnormal thing. It’s a part of life, just as anything else is. When a woman is in labor, the rest of the women decide roles to help. Usually I fetch supplies and make sure the mother has everything she thinks will make her most comfortable. I’ve delivered three, no, at least four babies.”

“Yes!” Trevor exclaimed. “Maybe God loves me after all.”

“What?” Sypha asked, glancing over to him with confusion. 

“Adrian, let’s have her do it. It’s a no brainer.”

“Have me do what?”

Adrian sighed. “Trevor wants you to deliver our baby to ensure he doesn’t have to. I’d scold him for assuming people will do things for him without him even asking, but I don’t have the energy.”

“Oh,” Sypha said, “I see.”

“Honestly, the only reason he’s the one delivering is because we backed ourselves into a corner. We can’t call for outside help, I’m not a typical child-bearer. It would only cause trouble.”

“That’s understandable--”

Adrian interrupted her before she could finish. “Sypha, you don’t have to agree to the question Trevor’s dying to ask. I still have another twelve weeks of pregnancy and you live with a moving caravan. We can handle it ourselves, though we’d appreciate anything you can teach us.”

“No, I’d be happy to. Wouldn’t you rather have me guide you than Trevor, Alucard?” Sypha teased. 

“Absolutely. You have more experience,” Adrian laughed, “and, feel free to call me Adrian.”

“Alright, Adrian,” she said with a smile. 

“Do you plan to go back to your caravan and return when the time comes?”

“No, that wouldn’t work. There’s not a way to determine when  _ exactly _ labor will start. I know where my caravan will be for the next six month. I’ll return to them and let them know when I’ll be, then come back. If it’s alright for me to stay with you, of course.”

“Yes, that’s more than alright. There’s ample space here. I appreciate this, Sypha. You don’t have to--”

“But I want to,” she interrupted. “This will also be a way to learn, anyway. Your magic and abilities must be highly powerful for you to pull off something like this, Adrian.”

“I believe so. I’m surprised it worked, to be honest.”

“Well, welcome to your temporary home,” Trevor added. He stood and gestured to the door. “Let me show you the guest rooms. You can pick whichever one you want.”

Sypha smiled and stood. “That’ll be great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter to set up the next part of the story! :)
> 
> And I love writing Trevor being blunt. lmfao.


	11. The Dream

Adrian and Sypha sat on one of the balconies that overlooked the landscape. A table was between them, a fresh bowl of strawberries atop it. Trevor had gone to check the Belmont hold and the underground vault, something he did less often now that Adrian was nearing the end of pregnancy. Sypha had been with them for over ten weeks. In that time, her and Adrian had studied the pregnancy together, recording data and experiences in journals. She also studied and practiced magic, thanks to ancient information in books Adrian showed her. Trevor periodically worked on restorations, but he mostly spent time repairing broken weaponry and heirlooms in the castle. With Adrian so close to the finish, he never wanted to be far. Yet, sometimes, Adrian insisted he check to make sure everything in his family hold looked as it should. 

“I never did ask you,” Sypha said, taking a strawberry, “why you decided to have a child.”

“Trevor is very proud of his family, I’m sure you know,” Adrian chuckled. “He’s the last Belmont. I’ve always known that bothers him, but in the beginning, we didn’t really speak about it. One day, we got into an argument about his legacy and children, and once we calmed down, we came to the conclusion we both wanted a child. I suggested a few things that didn’t involve me carrying, but he would have none of it. He said if he wanted a baby, he had to be with me. So I began to research.”

“You’ve offered to carry and give birth all for Trevor’s happiness? What an incredible husband you are.”

“Well, yes. It’s my happiness too, but I would’ve been fine with a surrogate. Now, I get conflicted when I think about my pregnancy because it’s been painful and uncomfortable, yet, I enjoy it. I enjoy seeing the baby grow and feeling them move. It reminds me there’s a reason to my discomfort. I'm happy we chose this route.”

“I understand. I’ve heard many of my friends in the caravan say that.”

“Do you miss being with them?” Adrian frowned. He put a strawberry in his mouth. “I feel as though we snatched you away from them quite quick.”

Sypha smiled and shook her head. “I miss them, but I always do when I’m away. I’ve enjoyed my time here. You’ve honestly taught me so much about magic I didn’t know. Not only that, but gave me access to everything in your library. When I return, I’ll have much to teach and share. You’ve helped me and my people plenty by allowing me to study here.”

“It’s the least I can do for having you stay with us.”

“You’re close now, Adrian. You might go into labor any time now.”

Adrian sighed. He was nervous for birth, he would admit. At the same time, he was more than ready for it. He felt huge and his pelvis ached constantly. Sometimes he asked Trevor to help him get out of bed during the night. He could hoist himself up, but sometimes he didn’t feel like it. Trevor didn’t mind it, yet every time Adrian just needed help to go to the bath or stretch his back, Trevor had a labor scare. Adrian saw his husband get more panicky every day, and there wasn’t much he could say to help it. He was worried himself, always waiting for a sign or symptom that something was about to happen. 

“I know. I’m ready. I feel huge,” Adrian said. He rested his hand on his swollen abdomen. These days, he couldn’t find a better way to rest his hands. The day before, Trevor had brought him breakfast in bed. He placed a bowl of fruit on the top of his belly, claiming he “already had a nice table”. Adrian nearly smacked him for it, but he was just out of reach and laughing at his own jokes. 

“Do you think you’ve had any pre-labor symptoms?”

“I’ve had a few small contractions off and on for the past few days. They’ve never been steady, though. Just one every few hours or so, sometimes at intervals longer than that. I still feel the baby move, just not as often as I did before. I think’ll be by the end of the week. I haven’t told Trevor my suspicion, it’ll just make him more restless.”

Sypha nodded. She grabbed the hand Adrian rested on the chair and held it. Her gaze met his. “Let me check to see if you’ve dilated any.”

“Alright. It’ll be good to know that.”

**~*~**

Adrian sat on a cushion on the floor, a soapy, damp rag in his hand. The gold and white crib on the far side of their bedroom had recently been repaired and placed in its current spot. Trevor had brought it from down in the vaults, which was no easy feat. Slowly, they had brought the rest of the room’s contents into their home as well. Adrian was only allowed to carry toys and clothing at Trevor’s insistence. Trevor’s childhood bear sat in the corner of the crib above new blankets and sheets Adrian had sewn together a few months back. They had prepared a nursery with everything but the crib, as Adrian insisted the baby sleep with them as a newborn. 

He ran the cloth over the leg of the crib, then dried it with another. A few specks of dust flew off the piece of furniture and he sniffed, which only invigorated his cleaning even more. He had to clean _everything._ The urge to tidy, dust, and organize wouldn’t leave him be. He stopped and rubbed his abdomen. 

“Daddy’s making everything nice and clean for you, sweetheart,” he mumbled, “so do me a favor and let me meet you.”

The door opened. Trevor walked through and shut it. He stopped, his jaw nearly on the floor when he saw what Adrian was doing. 

“What the hell are you doing?!” he exclaimed. 

Adrian gaze up at him and shrugged. “I’m cleaning.”

“Adrian, you’re pregnant as shit, get  _ off _ the floor!” Trevor huffed, walking over to his husband. He wrapped his arms around Adrian and hoisted him off the floor. He placed him on the bed. Adrian sighed and pushed back his hair. 

“It was dusty.”

“All the more reason to get you away from it.”

“I want everything _spotless_ before the baby is born,” Adrian insisted. Trevor sat beside him on the bed and placed his hand on his swollen stomach. 

“I just cleaned in here yesterday,” he said, “you need to rest. You could be in labor soon or...something.”

“Well...yes. I’m about two centimeters dilated. It’ll be soon.”

Trevor choked on his spit. His shook his head in disbelief. “Uh...I wasn’t being serious about that. I was just saying, you know?”

“And I’m saying the baby will be born by the end of the week. At least I hope so.”

“Shit,” Trevor cursed. He ran fingers through his hair. “What if it’s tonight or tomorrow?”

Adrian shrugged with a nod. “It could be.”

“Then you need to get some rest! Damn, what if you went into labor already tired because you were cleaning shit you weren’t supposed to?”

“I--I don’t know.”

Trevor gestured between them. “We are taking a bath and going to bed.”

“Fine.”

**~*~**

Adrian read a book in bed. He felt better having a bath, and was secretly glad Trevor had forced him into it. His back was sore and he felt heavy and slow. Perhaps he _did_ push himself a little too hard cleaning, but he didn’t have the energy to admit it. Trevor came out of the bath and climbed into bed. Adrian shut the door and set it on the nightstand. He looked over at his husband. Trevor stared at him with a stern gaze. 

“Adrian,” he said blankly, “there’s something serious causing a wedge between us in our marriage.”

“What?” Adrian asked with a loose breath. He furrowed his brows, hurt in his features. What happened? What was going wrong? They were about to have a baby, they couldn’t start this off on shaky terms. Tears bubbled in Adrian’s eyes. His emotions overtook him quickly these days. “What is it?”

“Your belly.” 

Trevor laughed at his own joke. Adrian huffed and crossed his arms the best he could given his swollen stomach. 

“Ugh, you still think you’re funny,” Adrian retorted, “do you want me to kill you?”

“Hey, that was pretty funny.”

“It absolutely was not.” Adrian pulled the blankets closer to him. He stifled a chuckle. His husband was a dolt, and it did irritate him beyond belief sometimes, but other times he couldn’t help but laugh. Trevor shifted so he was closer to him. 

“Are you cold, baby?” he asked. 

“Yes,” Adrian nodded. “Why don’t you be useful and keep me warm?”

Trevor wrapped his arm around Adrian as he snuggled into his chest. It wasn’t long after the quiet had set in that Adrian fell asleep. 

**~*~**

Adrian sat up in bed and yawned. The room he was in was different, the bedding a completely new pattern than they one he usually had. An array of art he didn’t recognize decorated the walls, yet it was a room in the castle. He rubbed his eyes and rested his hand on his stomach, the windows letting in the moonlight. There were candles lit around the room, making it clear to see everything. He felt miserable and weighed down, but managed to preoccupy himself by studying the different items in the space. Then, pain hit his lower back and wrapped around to his stomach. He groaned and sat up straighter in bed, his brows furrowed. The door opened. 

“Adrian,” a woman said, “how are you doing, honey?”

“Mother?!” Adrian exclaimed. Lisa walked over to the side of the bed with a smile. She brushed hair away from his eyes and felt his forehead. 

“You feel fine,” she said. She rubbed his shoulder, her eyes bright. 

“W-What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to check on you. The baby will be here soon.”

Adrian sighed. “I know.” 

“I’m so proud of you. And happy.”

“Why? I haven’t done anything.”

Lisa took his hand in hers. “You’re happy and living for yourself. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.”

“I manipulated so much to even get here,” Adrian said with a frown. “Wasn’t that foolish?”

“You used science and magic. I’ve always known it’s in your nature to be capable of things most aren’t. I’m happy you're using those things for good.”

Adrian went to respond, but another sharp pain hit his back and stomach. He shook his head and closed his eyes. Lisa squeezed his hand and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. 

“Breathe, honey,” she urged, “you’re fine. Everything’s fine.”

“M-Mother…” Adrian managed through the pain. His heart rammed into his chest, his mind in a full-on panic. “I’m--I’m not ready. I’m not ready! I--I can’t do this.”

“Of course you can, Adrian,” Lisa said. She kissed his temple. “You have your husband with you.”

“He’s a dolt,” Adrian responded as he exhaled. The pain was at its peak, and it was driving him mad. He was irritated at Trevor for contributing to the brutal pain he was in. 

“He’s sweet. You know he takes good care of you.”

“Yes, he does.”

Lisa smiled and placed another kiss on his temple. “I love you so much, Adrian.”

“I--I love you, Mother.”

**~*~**

Adrian woke cold and trembling. He was on his side, a pillow tucked under his abdomen. Trevor must’ve laid him down after he fell asleep, but he was too preoccupied to think much on it. He had  _ never  _ dreamt of his mother before in such a way. He had dreamt of speaking with his father plenty of times, his mother was sometimes with him, but she never spoke more than a few words. Having a conversation with her, especially one that pertained to current issues in his life, was something he longed for every day. He started crying as he hoisted himself out of bed. He went into the bath and sat on a stool by the tub. His hand wiped at his eyes, a quiet sob coming from his lips. He grabbed a cloth and wiped his face after calming down. 

The door of the bath opened. Trevor stepped in, his hair still disheveled from sleep. 

“Hey, what are you doing in here?” he asked, still groggy. “Everything okay?”

“I’m fine. I just had a dream about my mother,” Adrian said. He pushed away hair that had stuck to his cheeks. 

“Oh, baby, it’s okay. Let’s go back to bed. I’ll rub your back.”

Adrian nodded and took Trevor’s hand to help him stand. Once he stood and stretched his back a moment, he took a step. He stopped in the doorway as he noticed something dampen his thigh. He usually only wore an oversized shirt to bed, as trousers were too hot and uncomfortable these days, so it allowed him to see when a liquid trickled down his leg. Trevor followed his eyes down. 

“What’s that?” he asked. 

“I think it’s amniotic fluid,” Adrian said with a shaky breath. His heart sped with the realization of what was happening. 

“Oh  _ fuck.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trevor's gonna be great at dad jokes. lol 
> 
> And it's almost time! <3


	12. The Long Night

“Sypha!” Trevor shouted as he beat on her door. He was breathless from running through the castle halls at top speed, his mind in full on pre-parental panic. All the knowledge from the books he had read over the months flew out the window, and in his irrational state, his mind threw all sorts of possibilities, many not even scientifically plausible, his way. 

The door opened. Before Sypha could say anything, words started tumbling from Trevor’s mouth. 

“Sypha!” he exclaimed. “There’s clear liquid trickling down Adrian’s leg and it’s not piss! Oh God, oh  _ fuck, _ this is happening. Sypha, help me!”

“Trevor maybe you need to take a deep breath more than Adrian does,” Sypha said. 

“But it could just slide out any moment now!”

“Oh, the baby’s coming! I’m so excited, Trevor!” Sypha said with a smile, clasping her hands together. She pushed Trevor out of the way and walked down the hall. 

“Excited?! How can you be excited? This is scary as shit!”

**~*~**

Adrian sat at the edge of the bed. He was already clammy, but more from his own anxieties than labor. The realization of what was happening had hit him in full force, and the dream of his mother weighed heavy on his mind. He heard her telling him everything was going to be fine, and he tried his best to believe it. He sighed, taking a towel in his shaky hands and wiping them of the sweat. Sypha and Trevor walked into the room. Adrian glanced over to them. 

“I had a contraction that lasted about forty seconds,” he said. Sypha nodded and sat beside him on the bed. Trevor gawked at them. 

“Your water broke, as Trevor so eloquently explained,” she said. She looked to Trevor. “Let’s just focus on staying calm and timing the intervals.”

Adrian snorted. “He’s not calm. He’s losing his damn mind.” 

Trevor blinked. He glanced to crib, then back to Adrian, then to the cabinet full of medical supplies they had stocked there in preparation. He stared at his hands, then at his wedding band. His mind was blank as he watched Sypha check Adrian’s progress. Sypha then rose from the bed and rummaged through the cabinet, setting out supplies. Adrian leaned against the bed, one hand rested on his abdomen. 

“Hey, Trevor,” Adrian said from across the room, “why don’t you return to reality?”

“What?” Trevor mumbled. 

“I said, snap the fu-- _ ugh _ \--ck out of it!” Adrian exhaled and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the headboard. 

“What’s happening?” Trevor said, walking over to Adrian’s bedside. His mind had flung off to some far off place, where his common sense and knowledge was banned from existence. His stares were blank and confused, his words innocent, yet ignorant. Adrian didn’t respond right away. 

“I’m having contractions, dumbass,” Adrian retorted. “What’s the point of reading all those books if you’re just going to act like an asinine asshole?!”

“You’re right, I _am_ a dumbass,” Trevor admitted. He sighed and took a moment to recollect his composure. “What do you want me to do?”

“Help me time contractions. Watch the clock and tell me how far they are apart.”

**~*~**

A few hours passed. It was now the time just before dawn, the sky starting to change its hue. Adrian’s pain got more intense, and the true brutality of labor was starting to set in. He was on his knees, his hands and torso leaned against the side of the bed. He had taken a few different positions, including laying on his back, side, and standing. He switched positions often and became more restless as time passed. Trevor had managed to calm down enough to take on the role of support, but his pre-parental panic was still at the edge of his mind. Luckily, for his sake, he was able to keep it at bay. Sypha organized tools on the far side of the room. A tool clanked onto the floor. Adrian winced at the loud intrusion. 

“Oh, Adrian, I’m so sorry!” Sypha exclaimed with a quiet tone. “I dropped the scissors to cut the cord.”

“That’s alright,” he said. “There’s more sterile ones in the alchemy lab.”

“Can’t you just dump some alcohol on it?” Trevor added with a shrug. His hands rubbed the small of Adrian’s back. 

Adrain rolled his eyes. “This isn’t a bar fight, Trevor,” he huffed. 

“We could clean it up that way, but it’s best for me to just go get another one that we know is already completely sterile,” Sypha said, “I’ll be right back.”

Sypha left the room, leaving the couple alone. Adrian grew restless and pushed himself off the floor. He sat at the edge of the bed as another contraction hit. He squeezed his hands into fists and did his best to breathe through it. Trevor sat beside him and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. 

“Good job, baby,” he mumbled. Adrian opened his eyes after it was over and glanced to his husband. 

“Sorry for being mean,” he said with a frown. 

Trevor shrugged. “It’s fine. Punch at me as many times as you want, literally or figuratively.”

“It’s fucking painful. And these aren’t even the worst contractions. They’re only about forty-five seconds right now and further apart. Next they’ll be over a minute long, more painful, and closer together. Oh God, Trevor, what if I can’t handle it?!”

“Of course you can. You’re doing great.”

“How do you know?”

“Adrian, stop being an asshole. You’re going to have this baby, and you’re going to be fine.”

Adrian lifted his brow. “You’re calling you’re _laboring_ spouse an asshole?”

“Yeah, because it’s what you need to hear it to snap the hell out of it, asshole. Like I said, you’re going to be fine.”

Adrian laughed, genuinely amused by Trevor’s attempts at motivating him. He swiped at his eye with a sweaty palm. Trevor may have not been the best motivator, but he could at least get Adrian’s mind off things for a moment. “You’re a brave man, Trevor,” he said with another laugh. 

“Yeah, maybe,” Trevor said a small smile.

**~*~**

  
  


More hours passed. It was now just before noon. Trevor pressed a cool cloth to Adrian’s forehead and wiped the sweat that trickled down his temple. Sypha massaged his hip as he laid on his side. The pain was excruciating with long bouts and less reprieve. It was driving Adrian mad. He tried breathing slowly during the start of an intense stretch of pain, but once it was over, he realized he had started panting halfway through. His mind was hazy, he could barely process Trevor brushing back his hair or Sypha rubbing his back. He thought he’d scream and yell about not wanting to be touched, but he honestly didn’t care. The pain took up all his attention. 

A strong contraction hit, and it was the most painful one so far. Adrian grabbed Trevor’s bicep and squeezed. He groaned, and whether or not he yelled, he wasn’t sure. A few tears of exertion escaped his closed eyes. 

“Trevor,” he said, his mind fuzzed and a bit panicked by the pain. 

“You’re alright,” Trevor said. “It’s okay. Breathe.”

Adrian took a deep breath as the pain lessened a bit. Trevor pushed long hair away from his damp cheeks. 

“There you go,” he said. “Good job, baby.”

“You’re almost to the end, Adrian,” Sypha said. “I’m so excited!”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Adrian groaned. 

Another hour passed. Adrian was miserable and desperate for relief. He hardly cared about anything other than getting the pain to cease. He tried to remind himself what he was going to get at the end, even going as far to tell himself he could switch back to his normal physicality a month or so after birth. It didn’t work. He couldn’t comprehend minute to minute, let alone the next month. He was trembling off and on, sometimes getting too hot or too cold. Trevor pushed a cup of water to his lips every once in a while. The liquid help his dry mouth and chapped lips, but it wasn’t enough to distract him. 

It was mid-afternoon. It had been around thirteen hours since Trevor had woke Sypha up. Adrian was reaching his breaking point. He groaned and rocked himself as he curled around a pillow. After a moment, he noticed a change. He leaned up on one elbow and opened his eyes. Pressure overtook his attention and he ached to relieve it. 

“Oh no,” he said, “I need to push.”

“What?” Trevor said, his voice tired. He was exhausted himself, but he wouldn’t dare speak a word of it. However, he couldn’t hide how drug out and stressed he sounded. This had been the longest day of his life, and it wasn’t over yet. 

“Oh, yay!” Sypha exclaimed. “It’s happening, Trevor!” 

“What is?”

“I need to push, you bastard. I said right in your ear. Are you asleep?!” Adrian huffed. He adjusted his body so he was on his side. The urge to relieve his pain was so intense he had pant through it. Trevor’s eyes widened and he leaned back.

“Oh, oh  _ shit,” _ he cursed. “What do I do?!”

Sypha gathered materials and moved them to the bed. She set them out and sat on the sheets. Adrian groaned, trying to fight the urge until he was in a comfortable position, which was taking longer due to his panicked husband. 

“Trevor, will you hold my leg up,  _ please?!” _ he huffed. “God, this urge is killing me.”

Trevor listened without saying much, the shock of the situation at the front of his mind. Sypha nodded, but couldn’t hide her excitement. 

“You’re ready, Adrian,” she said, “go on your next contraction.”

The pain was overwhelming, but being able to respond to the urges was a bit of relief. He was too concentrated to say much, but he  _ really _ despised Trevor at the moment. Yet, at the same time, loved him with all his heart. It didn’t make sense, and he mostly ignored it, but it lingered in the furthest corner of his mind. After an hour of pushing, nothing had happened, and Adrian was growing desperate and frustrated. He pulled at his hair. 

“Fuck,” he exhaled, “where’s my baby?”

“It takes longer for a first birth,” Sypha said, “you’re doing amazing, Adrian. It won’t be long.”

“I’m so tired.”

“That’s okay. Just keep pushing the best you can.”

Adrian groaned, but kept going. Nothing had been _ this _ physicality painful, and that was saying much, given his past. After a time he couldn’t discern, relief was close in sight, though the pain came tenfold. He panted, sweat beading down his neck and back, adding to miserable state he was in. 

“Oh, Adrian, I can see the baby’s scalp!” Sypha exclaimed. She sounded so thrilled at Adrian’s agony, or so he perceived it. “Stop a moment and reach your hand down here.”

Trevor exhaled, his brows furrowed. He wanted to faint, he really did, but he fought it off. His grip on Adrian’s leg tightened, though out of his own angst. That was  _ his _ baby about to be born, and now with a visual, it felt real. He shifted his feet and clenched his teeth. 

“Holy shit,” he mumbled, “ _ holy shit! _ Adrian, Adrian, the baby has my hair!”

“Trevor, you faint, and I kill you,” Adrian said. He reached his hand down and felt his baby for the first time. His frustrations suddenly vanished, though the pain was still driving him mad. Tears bubbled in his eyes as he exhaled. 

“Are you ready to finish, Adrian?” Sypha asked. Adrian wiped a tear off his cheek and nodded. “Alright, strong pushes, okay? You’re almost there,” she said. 

The agony was unbearable, but knowing it was almost the end was enough motivation to keep going. Adrian was in such a haze, Trevor’s voice in his ear telling him to push wasn’t bothering him as much as he thought it would. After an especially strong push, relief came over him. He panted and opened his eyes to see a baby in Sypha’s hands. 

“It’s a boy!” she said, her smile beaming. “Trevor, unbutton his shirt so they can have skin to skin contact.”

Trevor placed his leg down gently and unbuttoned his shirt. He leaned over Adrian, tears already on his cheeks. 

“He’s beautiful, Adrian,” he said with a sniffle. Adrian shook his head, completely disoriented until the newborn was on his chest. The child felt warm against him as he held onto him. The baby began to cry, and Adrian couldn’t stop himself from crying with him. 

“I know, honey,” he said, “that was tough.”

Sypha placed a light blanket over-top his hands. “What are you going to name him?” she asked. 

“I forgot,” Trevor mumbled as he wiped his eyes. 

“Laurent,” Adrian finally said, “it’s an old French name.”

“Laurent Belmont. That’s beautiful," Sypha said with a smile.

“Fahrenheit,” Trevor said out of the blue. Adrian and Sypha looked over at him. 

“What?” Adrian asked. His voice was weak with emotion and exhaustion and his mind was overstimulated. He shook his head at his husband. 

“Laurent  _ Fahrenheit _ Belmont,” he said again, “he’s yours just as much as he’s mine, Adrian.”

Tears bubbled in Adrian’s eyes. He looked down to Laurent and sniffled. “O-Okay.”

Laurent opened his eyes as Trevor gently rubbed his head with his thumb. “He’s got your eyes, Adrian.”

“He’s beautiful, Trevor,” Adrian exhaled. “I--I can’t believe we did this.”

“Well, you did most of the work. You really put yourself on the line for us. I’m not sure if I would’ve had the courage to completely change my body to accommodate.”

“He’s a miracle. It was a small price to pay to have him.”

Trevor smiled. He wrapped his arms around his family. “I love you both.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay!
> 
> Laurent is a name I got from from Fire Emblem Awakening. He is one of my favorite characters from that game, and I love the name. <3
> 
> This chapter took so long to write, I had to do some research for it. It's interesting to learn how babies are born, though it sounds a little scary. 
> 
> This isn't the end of the story, there is definitely more to come! Thank you for all the comments and kudos, I really appreciate it! :)


	13. Just Like Papa

When Trevor held his son for the first time, it was one of the most surreal experiences of his life. He sat on the edge of the bed next to Adrian, his exhausted husband gazing over at him with a soft smile. Laurent wiggled his arms a bit, his body wrapped in a gown to keep him warm. His bright, lurid eyes stared at him, a constant reminder this child was from both of them, a notion still hard to believe was real sometimes. 

Adrian was sore and aching, yet had a burst of energy from birth that kept him awake. It had only been about an hour, and he had just gotten cleaned and dressed in new clothing and new bed-sheets. Sypha had run a soapy brush through his hair to rid it of the sweat and then gave him a cloth to rub over his face. He reached over and rubbed Trevor’s shoulder. 

“How do you feel, Papa?” he asked with a smile. 

Trevor looked at him and smiled back. “It feels...different,” he said. 

“He looks like you.”

“Maybe in hair color, but he’s got your eyes.”

“Yes,” Adrian paused, “you’re not alone anymore.”

“What?” Trevor asked, furrowing his brows. 

“You’re not the only Belmont anymore.”

“Yeah,” Trevor said, gazing down to the child with soft eyes, “I guess you’re right.”

Adrian exhaled and rested his hand on his still swollen stomach, a habit he would not easily break. He studied Laurent’s face, mapping out every detail. He never knew he could have a child in his life he adored so much. He was just an hour old, but Adrian felt as though they had already forged a deep, intertwined bond. 

“Trevor,” he said, “I think you can dress him out of the gown and in some clothing now. After he eats, we can swaddle him in a blanket.”

“Alright,” Trevor nodded. He stood with the baby in his arms, walking over to the wardrobe on the other side of the room. “What does Laurent want to wear?” he cooed. 

“No, I have something for him. It’s in my nightstand drawer.”

Trevor turned around. “Oh? Okay.”

Adrian bit his lip as his husband came to his side of the bed. He put out his arms. “Let me hold him while you look at it.”

“What? I can hold him and open a drawer at the same time.”

“Just let me see him, Trevor!” Adrian insisted. Trevor sighed and nodded, nestling the newborn back into Adrian’s arms. Laurent squirmed as Adrian cooed at him. The drawer opened, and the sound made Adrian cringe. 

“What am I looking for?” Trevor asked, rummaging through items. 

“It’s wrapped in purple cloth.”

Trevor spotted what he was referring to. He grabbed the cloth and unwrapped it. Tan-white fabric with light vertical lines was beneath the purple. He furrowed his brow. The design reminded him of a tunic. When he unfolded it, he clenched his teeth. It was a hand sewn newborn romper. In the top right corner of the chest, was a very small, yet detailed gold embroidery his family crest. He turned it around to find a larger embroidery of the same symbol, also in gold. 

“Do you like it?” Adrian asked. “I made it myself. It matches your tunic. I’ve been working on it for a few months, I wanted it to be a surprise.” He gazed down to the baby. “Now you can be just like Papa,” he cooed. 

Tears bubbled in Trevor’s eyes. He quickly wiped them away. “It’s incredible. Thank you, Adrian.”

“You can dress him right on the bed. I want to watch,” he said with a bright smile. 

The baby was gently placed on the sheets. Trevor carefully switched the gown for the romper, his hands shaking throughout the process. He was scared he’d somehow hurt his little arms and legs, but managed well enough. Once he was dressed, Trevor smiled and picked him up again. Sypha opened the door with a tray in hand. 

“I have the baby’s bottle,” she said. She walked to Adrian’s side of the bed and set the tray down. “I also brought you some bread and cheese, Adrian. Would you like to try and eat something? It’s been nearly two days since you’ve had a meal.”

“Yes, that sounds nice,” Adrian said with a nod. “Did making the formula go alright? I wish I could feed him myself, but my body didn’t make enough milk and I couldn’t find a way to stimulate it further.”

“It went fine. Don’t worry yourself over it. There are even some women that can’t feed their babies for various reasons.”

“That makes me feel a bit better.”

“You’re pregnancy and birth went really well.”

Adrian sighed. “It did. I’m extremely lucky there weren’t any complications. I still can’t believe I had a child. Now I’m just hoping he’ll take to the formula. I can’t be sure how pleasant it is for a newborn’s pallet.” 

Trevor walked over to his husband. “Here, Adrian,” he said, “you can feed him first.”

Adrian nodded, taking Laurent in his arms again. He nestled him against his chest and grabbed the bottle off the tray. Before he tried to feed him, he paused. 

“Trevor,” he said, “you feed him while I hold him. That way we can do it together.”

“Alright,” Trevor nodded. He took the bottle and sat at the edge of the bed. His arm wrapped around Adrian’s shoulder as he tried to introduce the baby to the bottle. After a moment, he took it in his mouth and began to feed. The couple smiled. 

“Good job, sweetheart,” Adrian said. “Look at him, Trevor, he’s so precious!”

“I know,” he said, pride in his eyes. 

**~*~**

It was night. Adrian was asleep, the exhaustion of birth finally catching up with him. Sypha tidied up loose tools and materials while Trevor sat in a chair by the crib with the newborn in his hold. It was quiet and still for the first time in a while. Trevor struggled to keep his eyes open, dozing off every once in a while. 

“Hey, Sypha,” he said, interrupting the silence. 

Sypha turned around and looked at him. “Do you need anything?” she said. 

“No. I was just wondering if you’d like to hold the baby. I mean, you’ve helped us so much, I’m sure you’re curious...or something…”

“Oh, of course!” she smiled and walked over to him, sitting in the chair next to his. Trevor stood and nestled Laurent in her arms. 

“There. Let Auntie Sypha hold you for a while.”

“Auntie Sypha,” she echoed, “I like that!” 

“Yeah, I thought you would,” he chuckled. “I’m going to wash my face real quick, if that’s alright.”

“Sure. Take your time. Auntie Sypha’s here now!” she cooed, losing the attention she had on their conversation completely. 

Trevor washed up and returned. He cut a slice of bread from the loaf leftover from what Adrian didn’t eat and sat back in the chair beside Sypha. He munched on the slice and gazed at the baby in her arms. Once he finished, he sighed. 

“Adrian is a crazy motherfucker,” he mused aloud. 

Sypha looked at him with a raised brow. “That’s how you describe your husband, the one who just gave _ birth?” _

“Yeah. Well, he’s also sweet and thoughtful and all the other romantic things I can say. But he’s also crazy as shit.”

“What makes you say that?”

“He willingly changed his body, developed a serum to conceive, then  _ actually _ got pregnant. After that, he gave birth au naturale. If that’s not crazy, I don’t know what is.”

“It’s the good kind of crazy.”

“Yeah,” Trevor sighed. “I think he’s a hell of a lot braver than me. I wouldn’t have done that. No way.”

Sypha chuckled. “You wouldn’t want to give birth?”

“Hell no. I can’t, anyway. Adrian’s the one with all the shape-shifting powers. Shit, did you  _ see _ that? Watching him give birth was the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”

“You handled it a lot better than I thought you would. I was prepared for you to faint, especially when you saw his head.”

“I was  _ really _ damn close,” Trevor said. He chuckled. “Don’t tell Adrian I said that.”

Sypha laughed and winked. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some tooth-rotting fluff with a newborn that's a few hours old. lol <3


	14. Health & Healing

It had been a week since the baby had been born. Adrian felt less heavy than he did before the birth, yet, somehow he felt worse. He still had cramps, his abdomen was swollen, and his lower half ached. He wanted to shift back to his normal physicality, but he lacked the energy to perform the high-demanding spellwork required. The first three days after birth he hadn’t even left the bed, having Trevor and Sypha bring the baby to him when needed. The first time he tried to walk around he nearly fainted, and Trevor caught him and tucked him back into bed. He had managed to get out of bed to sit in a rocking chair, and over the course of a few days, managed to get enough strength back to walk around their bedroom and onto the balcony. 

It was early morning, and Adrian elected to take a bath while Trevor and the baby slept. He settled into the warm suds and felt instant relief to his aching hips and back. He leaned back against the rim of the tub and dozed. His eyes opened when the door cracked. 

“Hey, baby,” Trevor said, peering through the doorway. 

“Does Laurent need me?” Adrian mumbled, his eyes half-open. 

“No, he’s asleep. I was just checking on you.”

“I’m fine. My back hurts.”

“Take your time. I’ll give you a rub later, okay?”

“Thank you, dear.”

Trevor closed the door and sighed. Adrian was struggling more post-birth than he had during pregnancy. They were fortunate they were no major complications during birth, but Trevor suspected it was rougher on Adrian than he let on. It was no surprise that Adrian had an extreme pain-tolerance, given all the battles and confrontations he’d been through over the years. He hadn’t made any noise during labor and birth aside from the occasional uncomfortable groan or when he went to speak. Trevor wasn’t sure how he managed it that well. From his point of view, it looked brutal. He would of at least yelped once or twice. 

When Trevor leaned over the crib, two lurid eyes stared back at him. He smiled down at his son.

“Hey there, kiddo,” he cooed, picking the baby up, “are you hungry?”

Laurent only stared at him, which was enough to leave Trevor thrilled. He laid him down in the bassinet by the window and went to the cabinet and began pulling out supplies. He prepared the bottle and returned to the bassinet. Once the baby was in his arms, he moved to the rocking chair and began to feed him. Trevor smiled as the contents of the bottle slowly emptied. After he was finished, Trevor burped him. Not long after that, he changed the diaper and dressed him in fresh clothing. Once he had run out of things to do, it had been at least an hour since Trevor had checked on Adrian in the bath. 

“What’s your daddy up to?” Trevor asked Laurent. He only got a blank stare in response. “Yeah, I don’t know either,” he shrugged. 

With the baby still in his arms, Trevor walked back to the bath. He pushed open the door again. Adrian’s head was still against the rim of the tub, but he was asleep. Trevor poked his finger into the water, which was now cold. He furrowed his brow. 

“Adrian,” he said. Adrian stirred and stared up at him. 

“Oh, honey,” he said, trying to stand from the tub, “Daddy’s sorry. I fell asleep.”

Trevor pushed on his shoulder. “Hey,  _ easy,” _ he said, “Laurent’s fine. I already fed and dressed him.”

“Oh, okay,” Adrian frowned. 

“Do you need help getting out and dressed?”

“No, I’ll be alright.”

Trevor shut the door again and sat back on the bed. He readjusted the baby so they were stomach to stomach. “How about some tummy time with Papa?” he cooed. 

Adrian opened the bathroom door and trudged across the room. His tired eyes fell to Laurent as he sat on the bed. He smiled at the baby and put out his arms. Trevor smiled back. 

“How about you spend some time with Daddy?” Trevor said, passing Laurent over to him. Adrian snuggled him to his chest without saying anything. Trevor frowned. After a moment, the baby began to fuss. Adrian leaned back and tried to soothe him. It didn’t do much. 

“Wh-What did I do?” Adrian exhaled, hurt in his voice. “What did Daddy do wrong?!”

Trevor’s heart sank. Something was off and he wasn’t sure what. “You didn’t do anything  _ wrong _ , sweetheart. Babies fuss. He just ate, maybe it’s his tummy.”

Adrian panicked and passed the newborn back to Trevor. Trevor soothed him and the fussing eased, Laurent soon closing his eyes. When he looked to his husband, he saw pure heartbreak in his eyes. Trevor swallowed, unsure what to say or do to make it better. 

“U-Uh...we probably jostled him when he didn’t want to move. Maybe he was already set on using me as a pillow,” he chuckled nervously. Adrian glanced to his hands and shook his head. 

“B-But there’s no place better than Daddy’s arms!” he stressed, tears on his cheeks. He stood, then rushed out of the room and down the hallway with a choked sob. Trevor blinked, his jaw slack. He looked down to the baby, whose eyes were half-open and staring up at him. 

“Holy shit…” Trevor mumbled. “What happened?”

Trevor climbed out of bed with Laurent still in his arms. He walked down the hallway in search of his husband. 

**~*~**

Trevor stopped at Sypha’s open door. She was dressed for the day and arranging things around and packing them into bags. She was set to rejoin her caravan at the end of the week. Trevor and Adrian said she could go sooner, but she insisted on staying to make sure Adrian and the baby did well post-birth. She settled for leaving two weeks after the baby was born. 

“Hey, Sypha,” Trevor said, “have you seen Adrian?”

Sypha glanced up from the bag she was rummaging in. “No. Why?”

“He ran out of our bedroom crying and now I can’t find him.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. Laurent got fussy when Adrian went to hold him and he got upset.”

Sypha frowned and stood up. “Oh...he must have baby blues,” she sighed with an empathetic look. 

“Baby blues?” Trevor asked. He glanced to the dozing newborn in his arms. 

“It’s sadness and mood changes that come after birth. The body changes so much during pregnancy, it can be hard adjusting to life afterwards. He should be feeling better in another week or two, but if not, it may be a bit more serious and require additional care.”

“Damn…” Trevor sighed. “I don’t feel like he’s being honest with us, Sypha.”

Sypha furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

“He’s not being upfront with how he’s feeling. I’m suspecting he’s in a lot of pain, but he won’t say it. I know exactly what he’s thinking: all the attention needs to be on making sure the newborn’s doing well, and he’ll just manage on his own.”

“But making sure Laurent’s well shouldn’t come at Adrian’s expense.”

“We both know that, but that’s not how Adrian thinks.”

“What do you think he’s struggling with?”

“Definitely sadness. He complains about his back and hips a lot. I’ve tried to offer him pain reliever or herb compresses, anything to help ease it, but he just tells me “it’s not that bad,” and goes to take a bath. I found him asleep in freezing cold water this morning.”

Sypha sighed. “Poor Adrian. I wish he’d just tell us when something’s bothering him.”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Trevor grunted, “I’ve been trying to get him to do that since _ before _ we got married.”

“He was in bed for the few days after birth….” she said, thinking aloud. 

“He almost fainted getting out of bed for the first time. We gave him medicine, but when we tried to give him additional help, he didn’t want it. Shit, I should know better than this!”

“It’s alright, Trevor. We’re not mind-readers, and he’s not in very good state of mind. It’s no one’s fault,” Sypha stressed. 

“Birth was  _ way _ harder on him than he’s letting on to,” Trevor sighed. “Do you think his back and hips hurt from how long he had to push?”

“Definitely. Not only that, but his body is trying to mold itself back to the way it was before pregnancy. He’s probably in a lot of pain,” Sypha frowned. She put out her arms. “Go find him. I’ll look after the baby. Try to talk him into letting us take care of him, alright?”

Trevor nodded and passed Laurent to her. He left the room, having no idea where to look first for his absent husband.

**~*~**

Searching for Adrian in the vast castle they resided in was no easy feat. After a while of looking room to room, Trevor found Adrian in his father’s old study. He could hear his sniffles from behind the large chair in front of the fireplace. Trevor frowned and walked to the side of the chair. Adrian startled. 

“Where’s--?” he went to say, but Trevor stopped him. 

“He’s with Sypha,’ Trevor said. He squeezed into the empty spot in the chair, leaving Adrian partially on his lap. 

Adrian glared at him with bloodshot eyes. “I’m fine.”

“Lies,” Trevor mumbled. He kissed Adrian’s cheek. “Talk to me, baby.”

“What is there to talk about?”

_ “You,” _ Trevor shifted so Adrian was seated in his lap, “you haven’t been well since the birth. We’ve been through this before, Adrian. If you’re hurting, you need to tell me so I can help you.”

Adrian sighed. He rested his head in the crook of his husband’s neck. “I--I think I have some post-birth mood shifts…” he admitted. 

“Baby blues?”

“Yes, you could say that. Hormones go up during pregnancy, then drop significantly afterward. That may be the cause.”

“Give yourself some time to adjust. Your body’s been through a lot lately.”

“I know. Sometimes I just get extremely...sad…for no particular reason.”

“It’s okay,” Trevor said, pulling Adrian closer to his chest. “You’re in a lot of pain.”

Adrian glanced up at him with a furrowed brow. “W-What?”

“You’re in pain, Adrian. I know. You’re trying to hide it because you’d rather us spend all our time caring for the baby instead of caring for you. The thing is, we can do both, and we  _ should _ do both. Your health is just as important as the baby's.”

“It hurts…” Adrian finally admitted. He sniffled, tears brimming in his eyes. 

“What does?”

“My hips, my back, my abdomen, my groin, just...everything.”

Trevor frowned. He brushed his fingers through his husband’s hair. “Will you let me take care of it?”

“But the baby…”

“You can still take care of him just as much as I do, Adrian. But you need to heal. You should’ve probably stayed in bed longer before moving around. You’re pushing yourself way too damn hard.”

“You’re right. I need to heal.”

“And you need to listen to me in order to do it. When Sypha and I say don’t walk more than five minutes at a time, don’t walk halfway across the castle.”

Adrian flushed. “Of course…”

Trevor wrapped his arms around Adrian and stood with him in his hold. “Let’s get you comfortable. I’m sure  _ someone _ wants to cuddle with you.”

“It’s a tossup between either one of you…” he smiled. 

“Sure is,” Trevor chuckled, “maybe it’s both of us?”


	15. Mama Bird

Adrian settled into bed, the blankets drawn over his lap. He sighed and glanced around the room as the late afternoon sunlight came through the curtains. Laurent was in the bassinet on the other side of the room. Adrian ached to get up and get him, but Trevor insisted he stay in bed. Adrian consented, but knew if their newborn so much as _fussed,_ he would be out of bed in an instant. 

Trevor stepped out, promising to bring Adrian dinner in bed. Earlier in the day, Adrian had admitted he was struggling post-birth, and, suddenly, that put Trevor into pampering husband mode. He carried Adrian to bed, tucked him in, brought him books and journals to preoccupy him if he wanted, and brushed his hair. When he wasn’t caring for Adrian, the baby was being carried around in his arms and cooed at. Adrian was surprised at his strength and vigor, though knowing he was Belmont, it explained much of the prolonged energy stores. 

On the other hand, Adrian was exhausted. He still hadn’t recovered from giving birth, and had to finally admit how much he was struggling from it. Everything ached and throbbed, especially his muscles. After the baby was born, Adrian came to the conclusion the strain of bearing down with all his energy for nearly two hours had wreaked havoc on his body. He hadn’t realized it at the time, or even the first few days after birth, for exhaustion and the shock of a baby in his arms was enough for him to push it aside. Yet, now it was to the point where he couldn’t ignore it any longer. He sighed and closed his eyes, his hands in his lap. 

The door opened. Adrian opened his eyes again, watching as Trevor brought a tray to his nightstand and placed it down. He took cloth packs off the tray and set them at the edge of the bed. Adrian furrowed his brow as his husband took the sheets off his lap. 

“Alright, take off your trousers,” Trevor said with a shrug. Adrian’s eyes widened, a blush on his cheeks. 

“Why?” he stressed, embarrassed at the suggestion. 

“I have warm herbal compresses. They’re supposed to soothe aches and pains. I have three, one for your groin, one for your back, and one for your abdomen.”

“Y-You’re not looking _down_ there, Trevor!” Adrian exclaimed. He covered his mouth with his hand to hide the redness of his cheeks. 

“Why not? What’s the big deal? You’re going to change back when you're well enough, anyway.”

“It’s...battered…”

“So? I watched you give birth. I held your leg the entire time, I’d say I had a pretty good view.”

“Trevor! Shut the hell up,” Adrian chided softly as Trevor lifted his shirt and placed a compress on his abdomen. Trevor chuckled, pressing a second compress at his back. 

“Here, I’ll let you handle the last one,” he said. He handed Adrian the last compress. “I made you your favorite meal.”

Adrian looked to the plate. It was strawberry bread with roasted potato. He smiled. He wasn’t much in the mood for a heavy meal with meat, which made the plate perfect. He grabbed Trevor’s arm and tugged him down for a kiss. 

“You don’t have to pamper me, you know,” he whispered on his lips. Trevor kissed him again and shrugged. 

“I don’t  _ have _ to pamper my husband, but I will anyway,” he said with a smile. 

Adrian placed the last compress where he wanted it and put the plate in his lap. He dug in, his mouth watering at the rich taste on his tongue. Trevor picked the baby up out of the bassinet and climbed into bed. He unbuttoned his shirt, then took Laurent out of his sleep gown. He placed the newborn on his chest. Adrian smiled. 

“So you  _ were _ paying attention when we read all those books,” he said with a chuckle. 

“Hell yeah,” Trevor said. “He likes it when we’re skin-to-skin. I like it too. It’s fucking adorable.”

“How about we not burn our baby’s ears with harsh language before his first birthday?”

Trevor laughed. “He’s already heard me say those words a thousand times.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Adrian laughed with him. He studied his husband and child. Trevor’s cut physique caught his eye. His muscles were tight and rigid with scattered scars, signalling his strength and agility. Adrian blushed, thinking of his own torso and abdomen. His tight physique had largely been lost while carrying, and his stomach was still swollen as if he were a few months pregnant. He frowned. 

“Look at you, strong and handsome,” he mused aloud. “I _was_ pregnant, now I just look fat.”

Trevor looked to him with furrowed brows. “Jesus Christ, Adrian,  _ what?” _ he said. “You’re not fat. What the hell.”

Adrian put the plate on the tray. He crossed his arms. “I still look pregnant, but I’m not. So I’m fat. It’s not hard to see that.”

“Uh, yeah it is, because it’s bullshit. Your womb has to contract back to its original state over time. So it’s not fat, it’s a swollen womb. Duh,” Trevor said. He held the baby in front of Adrian’s face. “Hey, this baby was in your belly a week ago. You see this baby? This cute, cuddly baby?”

“Yes…” 

Trevor shoved Laurent into Adrian’s arms. “Here. Shut up about that nonsense and feed him. He wants to hang out with Daddy. The bottle’s on the tray.”

Adrian sighed with a small smile. He picked up the bottle and began to feed his son. His brooding faded at seeing Laurent satisfied with his meal. Once finished, he began to burp him. Trevor scooted closer and wrapped his arms around them. 

“Family hug!” he exclaimed. Adrian smiled as Trevor snuggled into the crook of his neck. “You’re so beautiful, Adrian,” he said, “and sexy. And sweet. Not to forget how good a parent you are already. You’re a total Mama Bird, but it’s fine.”

“A Mama Bird?” Adrian asked. 

“Yeah. You hover and peck all the time.”

“How?!”

“Standing over his crib watching him sleep for a half hour?” Trevor suggested. “Freaking out when his skin is a little dry, claiming his “vampire blood is sizzling up” because he laid in the bassinet by the window, insisting he takes at least _ one _ nap in your arms a day, rushing out of the bath in your underwear when he’s crying, but I’m sitting right here? Just a few examples.”

“So?” Adrian retorted, his face flushed. Trevor chuckled. 

“I didn’t say it’s a bad thing, baby. He needs that most right now.”

“Alright, Papa Bird.”

_“Papa Bird?”_ Trevor raised his brow with a smirk. 

“Yes, because you do the same sort of things. Holding him at all hours of the day? Making him more toys than he can play with? “Tummy Time with Papa”? You’re spoiling him.”

“Hell yeah. You’re damn right I spoil my kid. I’ll have it no other way.”

Adrian laughed. “Well, that makes two of us.”

**~*~**

“What should we call this thing, Adrian?” Trevor asked as they walked outside. During the pregnancy, him and Adrian had come up with the idea of having a “bassinet on wheels”, so they could take the baby outside without having to carrying him consistently. Adrian had sketched the design and Trevor had built it, and today, two weeks after the birth, they were using it for the first time. Sypha walked beside them.

“It’s a genius idea, whatever you choose to call it,” she said with a smile. “Thank you for giving me your design sketches, Adrian. Our caravan could definitely use a creation like this.”

“Of course. It’s perfect for a nomadic lifestyle, though we’ll just use it for a stroll,” he said, pushing the baby along the path. He smiled when two lurid eyes stared at him. 

“Heh, looks at us, just a couple of strollers,” Trevor added, his arms crossed behind his head. Adrian’s eyes widened. 

“That’s it!” he exclaimed. 

“What is?” Trevor asked. 

“We’ll call it a stroller. That’s perfect.”

“It has a nice ring to it,” he shrugged with a smile. 

They reached the end of the path. Sypha scooped Laurent in her arms and cooed at him. 

“Auntie Sypha has to go now,” she said, “make sure your parents don’t act like children!”

“Hey!” Trevor said. “Adrian’s the Mama Bird.”

“You’re a Papa Bird, don’t leave that out,” Adrian retorted. Sypha laughed. 

“See?” she said to the baby. “They’re silly.”

Adrian sighed. “Thank you, Sypha. You didn’t have to stay as long as you did. You didn’t have to help me through labor or deliver my child either. Really, I can’t thank you enough.”

“It’s my pleasure, Adrian. You didn’t have to make me a small wagon for my bags, but you did,” Sypha said, gesturing to the small wagon she was pulling behind her. 

“It’s the least I could do.”

“If you ever need help, whether with Laurent, or...I don’t know...another delivery, feel free to let me know.”

Adrian choked on spit. “I don’t think I’m quite ready for that. If I’ll ever be.”

Sypha laughed. “Alright. But if you do someday, come find me. Wouldn’t it be cute for Laurent to have a little sister?”

“That  _ would  _ be cute!” Trevor exclaimed. “Hey, Adrian--”

_ “No. _ This baby is only two weeks old,” Adrian interrupted. 

Sypha laughed again. “You two are a handful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are such dorky parents and I love it. lol 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos! I really appreciate it! :)


	16. The Family Lunch

Adrian smiled as he packed a picnic basket. He placed a loaf of bread Trevor baked the night before along with fresh fruit and smoked meat. He added a dessert he made himself; blueberry scones. A bottle of water and a bottle of wine was placed on top, along with the baby’s bottle. Adrian slung the basket on his forearm and cooed to Laurent, who was snug in a carrying basket of his own. 

“Are you ready, honey?” he said with a smile. “Let’s go have lunch with Papa.”

Laurent was now nearly five weeks old. He was still tiny, but growing more as each day passed. Adrian had healed over the weeks, and now felt he had enough energy to move around and do things on his own. He still had cramps every once in a while, but it was subtle. He planned to do the spellwork needed to change back to his original form at the end of the week. 

Trevor was in the vault of the Belmont hold. Adrian insisted he go check on everything, as the rainy season was coming and it wouldn’t do to have cracks allowing rain to seep through an archive of paper-filled books. It had been him and the baby alone all morning, and it did Adrian well to bond with his baby by himself. He hadn’t put the newborn down all morning, save for the few minutes he used to get dressed and brush his hair. They snuggled, ate breakfast, played with toys, and went for a walk around the castle. In that time, Laurent hadn’t fussed all day, which was a surprise.

Adrian had to admit, he felt so calm and at peace with his son around. Sometimes he got stressed out of worry, but it was all in love and adoration. He had struggled with anxiousness all his life, and it had gotten better after him and Trevor started living together, yet he still had bad days. The days he felt a bit more riled up than others, doting on his baby helped ease the ache. When he first got pregnant, he wasn’t sure what he would gain from having a child around, but it was so much more than he could’ve ever imagined. 

He made his way to the vault, lunch on one arm, the baby basket in the other. He trekked down the endless staircase to the bottom. He could’ve used some of his abilities to speed up the walk, but he was still nervous to use them around his newborn. So, he made his way down, stair by stair. 

When he entered the vault, he heard the sound of hammering echo the space. Adrian smiled and made his way to the bottom, where a few sofas and a table sat. He put his basket down and scooped the baby into his arms. He went to search for his husband. 

Trevor was repairing a piece of the wood edging on the third floor that had rotted away. He admired his work as he stood on a stool. Adrian walked up behind him and peered at his back. 

“Surprise,” he said. Trevor turned around and smiled. 

“Hey, it’s Papa’s little man!” he exclaimed. He put the hammer in his belt and went to step off the stool. It slipped under him and skid, causing him to lose balance. He hit the ground with a loud thud. Laurent began to cry at the loud intrusion. 

“Trevor!” Adrian exclaimed. He tried to soothe the baby. “You’re scaring him!”

“I’m fine, thanks for your concern,” Trevor grumbled, pushing himself off the floor. He brushed dust off his clothes and walked up to his husband. He kissed the baby’s head. 

“Papa’s fine,” he said. “Let me wash up.”

“I brought lunch.”

Trevor grinned. “Great! I’m fucking starved.”

The family sat on the sofa and ate lunch. Adrian fed Laurent as Trevor dug into the bread, meat, and wine. It was quiet, a refreshing time for them. Trevor finished his meal and took the child from his husband’s arms. Adrian poured a cup of water and grabbed an apple. 

“You see this, kid?” Trevor said, gesturing to the space. “It’ll all be yours one day.”

Adrian bit into his apple and glanced over at them. He smiled. Trevor was a proud Belmont, but an even prouder father. Adrian couldn’t ask for more out of a partner and a family. He had never thought marriage and children as a possibility for him, but he now couldn’t think of life without it. He glanced down to his abdomen, which had nearly shrunk back down to its original state. He almost didn’t want to--

“Unless Daddy wants to volunteer in giving you a playmate,” Trevor chuckled, “then you’ll have to share.”

Adrian blushed. He bit into his apple again, acting as if he didn’t hear anything. It was a trick that never paid off, for Trevor was well aware Adrian had superhuman senses. Trevor shrugged and played along, continuing to chat with his son. 

“Don’t ask me, ask Daddy,” Trevor said. He turned as Adrian glanced over at them. He held the baby up. “Daddy, can I have a playmate?” he asked in the best cutesy voice he could muster for as gruff as he was. 

“Are you volunteering to hold my leg again as I curse at you?” Adrian finally said with a breathy chuckle. Trevor shrug. 

“Yeah. It’s worth it.”

“Maybe Papa will faint this time and I can finally kick his ass.”

“This time?” Trevor smirked. “You agreed with me without me even having to ask.”

Adrian flushed. He stared at the half-eaten apple in his hands. He wasn’t sure what he was saying or where they were taking this conversation, but it didn’t bother him one bit. Trevor snuggled Laurent to his chest. 

“It’s easier to take care of babies close in age,” he said. “Then you can change back and never worry about it again.”

“Are you saying I should get pregnant again before changing back?”

“Well, it would be easier on you. If we want another child, that is. I’m sure once you change back, you won’t want to go through all the spellwork needed to do it all again for at least a couple of years. Even then, we might just make excuses and never get around to it.”

“You’re right. But when would be the best time?” 

Trevor shrugged. “Whenever you want. It’s your body.”

Adrian sighed. He squeezed the fabric of his trousers. “Let me think about it, Trevor.”

“Hey, don’t feel pressured. If you only want one kid, I’m fine with it, believe me. I’m lucky enough, I’m sure as hell not going to get greedy.”

**~*~**

Adrian stared at the ceiling that night. Trevor snored beside him as the baby slumbered in the crib. He couldn’t help but ponder what they had talked about earlier in the day. Did he really want another child? The prospect seemed appealing, but he wasn’t one to come to a decision so quick. He decided that perhaps sleep would grant him clearer choices for an answer. Yet, before he drifted off, he couldn’t help but check on his son to make sure he didn’t need anything. He rose and peered into the crib with a smile, a soft coo already on his lips. 

He froze in terror instead. 

“Trevor!” he shouted, his heart hammering in his chest. His breathing was cut short, anxiety triumphing over his body in a matter of seconds. Trevor startled and sat up in bed. 

“What?” he said, still groggy from his sleep. 

“He’s gone!” Adrian shouted again, rushing over to the bassinet. His hands pulled at his hair and strained his scalp. “He’s gone!” 

Trevor scrambled out of bed at hearing the terror in Adrian’s voice. He turned on a lantern to better illuminate the room. He rushed over to the crib. Sure enough, it was empty. Trevor swallowed. They weren’t crazy, were they?

Adrian paced the room, his hands still tangled in his hair. He was near hyperventilating as he checked under furniture and in between bookshelves and tables. “Where’s my son?” he cried. “Where’s my son, Trevor?!”

“I--I don’t know, Adrian…” Trevor mumbled, his hand rubbing his forehead. He couldn’t comfort Adrian at all, given the moment. He was in a full-on panic himself, his chest laboring as he tried to wrack his brain to explain what was going on. 

“Did someone take him?!”

“How would they? We’ve been right here the whole time.” Trevor opened the door to the balcony and stepped out. The night was crisp and cool, and nothing appeared out of the ordinary. He could hear Adrian sobbing as he paced. Adrian’s distraught was so intense he couldn’t articulate what to do or where to go first. He kept looking around the room, even pushing the bed against the opposite wall by himself. After it proved fruitless, he sat on it and trembled. Trevor scanned the area surrounding their hold for a few minutes, looking and listening for anyone or anything. It was still. 

He sighed and walked back indoors. He was near tears himself, but he swallowed them down. He couldn’t let Adrian see him lose his cool. He had to keep them at least somewhat grounded. Trevor passed a cabinet filled with books. One title caught his eye: _Dhampir Anecdotes, Vol. I._

Trevor remembered reading through it once long ago when Adrian was ill. It was written by Vlad, documenting all the experiences and abilities of a vampiric child…

Something clicked in his mind. 

“Adrian, you’re a fucking vampire!” Trevor exclaimed. Adrian turned around, his breath hitching. 

“I know I’m a fucking monster,” he spat back, “but I still love my son. My _missing_ son!”

“He inherited a lot of shit from you. Innate powers he has that he doesn’t understand or know how to fucking use!” Trevor said. He glanced to the ceiling, but there was nothing there. “Your father wrote the first superhuman thing you did as a baby was teleport somewhere else while in your bassinet."

Adrian stood, the message clicking in his mind. He wiped his eyes. “B-But he could be anywhere!”

“I know. But, he must be somewhere we’ve taken him before, somewhere he’s familiar with. Let’s start there.”

“I’m going to retrace my steps with him today. Perhaps he did it while dreaming…”

Adrian tore through the castle, retracing his steps throughout the day. He turned over every piece of furniture and peered into every corner. He couldn’t tame the tears as he went through each room to find nothing in them. He retraced every place he’d been in the castle that day with no luck. He buried his face in his palms and sobbed. 

“Where’s my son?” he choked. “Where’s our baby, Trevor?!” 

“I don’t--” Trevor paused. He rushed to the entrance of the castle. “Oh shit!”

“Where are you going?”

“The vaults. We had lunch there today.”

They reached the top of the stairs leading down into the vault. They went down the stairs, and after a minute, heard the distant sound of a child wailing. Adrian nearly pushed Trevor into the wall as he climbed over the railing and dropped down the endless spiral of stairs. He landed on his feet at the bottom and rushed to the door, pushing it open and popping off one of the hinges. 

Adrian reached the railing that overlooked the expanse of the vault. He looked to the bottom and saw his son wrapped in his blankets and wailing in the crevice of the sofa. Tears filled his eyes as he climbed over the railing and jumping to the bottom. He scooped the child into his trembling arms. 

“Daddy’s here,” he exhaled with a breathless voice. 

Trevor finally caught up to him. He leaned over the top railing of the vaults and spotted them. Instead of climbing down more stairs, he took the whip off his belt and tied it around the railing. He threw it over the edge and slid down. He rushed over to Adrian. 

“Is he okay?” he asked, just as breathless as Adrian was. Sweat trickled down his neck and chest. 

“He seems fine,” Adrian said. Trevor wrapped his arms around them. He kissed Laurent’s head. 

“You scared the shit out of me,” he mumbled. “Look, Papa grabbed his whip and not his shirt.”

Adrian passed Laurent to Trevor and sat on the sofa. The baby’s wails had settled down to a soft whimper. Trevor soothed him as Adrian tried to tame the trembling wrecking havoc around his body. He wiped his eyes and tried to take a deep breath. 

“I should’ve anticipated this…” he said. 

“Hey, he’s safe. That’s what’s most important,” Trevor said. 

“I will perform a grounding spell on him. It won’t affect his body or mind, but it will prevent him from being able to teleport around.”

 _“Please,”_ Trevor sighed. “You terrorized us big time, kiddo.”

He flopped on the sofa and leaned his head back. He sighed again, the baby lulling against his chest. Adrian placed a gentle hand on Laurent’s back to further soothe him. 

“Does this change your mind on that playmate?” Adrian asked. 

Trevor glanced over at him. He chuckled. “Not really.”


	17. Happy Anniversary

Adrian and Trevor flopped on their bed with exaggerated huffs. Their baby was asleep. _Finally._

“Are you tired, Adrian?” Trevor sighed, his hand tangling in his husband’s hair. 

“Hm, no, not really,” Adrian smiled. “There are perks to being a vampiric parent.”

“Well, there are perks to being a Belmont parent, too.”

They chuckled. Their son was now three months old. That morning, he had smiled at them for the first time. Trevor had waved a stuffed raccoon in his hand, and when Laurent reached for it, he placed it in his tiny hands. The baby smiled, and Adrian couldn’t help but shed a tear. Trevor teased him about being a “Mama Bird”. Adrian couldn’t help it. After all he had been through over the years, he was ready, and willing, to shed tears over something joyous. He would admit, he had become slightly more emotional since giving birth. Trevor was too, Adrian had noticed, though his husband would never own up to it. 

After a long night of crying and fussing, the baby had finally settled to sleep. It was quiet in the halls of the castle. Trevor had moved the crib into the nursery, but left the bassinet in their bedroom. Some nights they let him sleep in his own bedroom, but Adrian still liked for him to sleep in their room at least a few nights a week. Perhaps he really was a _Mama Bird._

“Are you saying you’re not exhausted?” Adrian asked. His fingers brushed over Trevor’s cheek. 

“No, not right now.” Trevor turned over, his form towering over Adrian. He smirked as they kissed. Trevor hummed as he placed more kisses of his husband’s lips. He moved to nip at Adrian’s neck, though, as usual, he couldn’t leave any mark on his skin. It didn’t matter. It was alluring enough anyways. 

“Someone’s in the mood,” Adrian smiled. 

“Hell yeah. It’s been a long damn while,’ Trevor said. His kisses continued. 

“I haven’t changed back yet,” Adrian frowned. “We’ve been spending so much time with Laurent, it just...slipped my mind.”

“Doesn’t matter to me. You’re sexy as hell no matter what form you take.”

“What about a wolf?”

“You bastard,” Trevor laughed. “You’re trying to get me to say some damning shit.”

Adrian laughed. He pawed at Trevor’s chest, beginning to unbutton his tunic. Trevor leaned up and threw his shirt on the floor, hopping off the bed. Adrian raised a brow at him. 

“Hold your horses, baby,” Trevor chuckled, “I need to take a piss before we do anything.”

“It’s always something with you.”

Trevor laughed and waved, shutting the door to the bath. Adrian watched. Once he was alone, he opened the drawer to his nightstand. He pulled out a needle and pierced his skin with it. Afterward, he placed it back in the drawer. Trevor returned, and Adrian grinned at him with a mischievous smile. 

**~*~**

A few months passed. Adrian put his five month old son down for a nap. Trevor left to go to town for the day. Both of them knew why, but elected not to voice it. 

It was their wedding anniversary. They had been married for two years and Adrian couldn’t believe it. It felt like a decade ago, yet, at the same time, seemed like yesterday. He knew Trevor was out shopping for him, and couldn't help but wonder what he had in mind. Beyond that, Adrian already had his gift for his spouse, he just hoped he would like it. 

Trevor returned early in the afternoon. Adrian was dusting the cabinets in their bedroom. The door opened, a bouquet of flowers in Trevor’s hand. He crept up on Adrian and nuzzled his head into his neck. 

“Happy anniversary, Adrian,” he said. Adrian turned around and smiled. They kissed. 

“Happy anniversary, Trevor,” Adrian responded. He took the flowers and brought them to his nose. “These are lovely.”

“Well, there’s more where that came from.”

“Oh?” 

“Yeah,” Trevor said, grabbing Adrian’s arm. “I left it in the hallway. I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

Adrian furrowed his brow as he was lead outside. Leaned against the wall was a frame covered in a cloth. Trevor grinned, gesturing to it. 

“Uncover it,” he urged. Adrian obliged. 

The painting beneath took him by surprise. It was of them on their wedding day, the backdrop of the Wallachian mountains behind him. It was a colored replica of a sketch a Speaker did of them right after they married. Trevor stood behind Adrian, his arms wrapped around his waist. Adrian’s hands rested on top of them, both of their wedding bands shining bright. 

Adrian bit his lip. Tears welled in his eyes. He sniffled. “Trevor, this is beautiful.”

“Isn’t it?” Trevor smiled. He placed his arm on Adrian’s shoulder. “I commissioned an artist to paint it. I thought it would be nice to have a portrait of us around here somewhere.”

“I love it,” he said. He cupped Trevor’s cheeks and kissed him. Trevor hummed. 

“I’m glad, baby.”

Adrian smiled. He tugged on Trevor’s hand and lead him back into their bedroom. “My turn.”

Trevor grinned and followed his lead. Adrian grabbed a box out of the cabinet and placed it on the bed. He gestured to it. 

“I don’t know how you’ll like it, but there it is,” Adrian said. Trevor opened it. 

He pulled a large cloak from the box. It was black with thick, white fur trim at the top. It resembled an old one he used to have many years ago, one he lost during the war. He turned it around to find one difference between old and new: a large embroidery of his family crest sewed in gold on the back. He smiled. 

“It’ll be winter soon,” Adrian said with a shrug. “I know you’ve longed talked of the cloak you lost. I added the crest. You are a Belmont, and I want you to be damn proud of it.”

“I am,” Trevor nodded. “Thank you, Adrian. I love this.”

“It’s fit for the head of House Belmont.”

Trevor smiled. He kissed Adrian and put the cloak around his shoulders. Adrian smiled, a small blush on his cheeks. His husband looked as handsome as ever. He was regal and proud, just as he should be. House Belmont was his pride and joy, a lineage stretching back centuries, which had endured hardship through struggle and loss. Yet, despite that, they thrived. Trevor didn’t have much clothing that bore the crest, and Adrian was working on growing his closet with items he had long lost. Adrian blushed when he was kissed again. 

“How about we finish off with some love making before the kiddo wakes up,” Trevor said with a smirk, his hands on Adrian’s hips. 

Adrian reddened. He twirled a piece of his hair around his finger. “Sure, but there is one more part to your gift.”

“Oh?” Trevor raised his brow. “Damn, what is it?”

Adrian bit his lip. He took a step back and folded out his arms. Trevor stared at him and shook his head. Before Adrian could say anything, Trevor opened his mouth. 

“What is it?” he said again with a smirk. “I  _ already _ know you’re all mine, sweetheart.”

“You didn’t let me speak, you dolt,” Adrian sighed. He took Trevor’s hands in his and let out a shaky breath. “Trevor…” he said, stalling on the moment. 

“Yes?” Trevor said. 

“I’m pregnant.”

Trevor deadpanned. He blinked and tilted his head, his lips parted. “Huh?”

Adrian flustered. He avoided his husband’s gaze and squeeze his hands. He didn’t say anything. Trevor stayed silent a moment, his eyes on Adrian’s lower stomach. 

“Pregnant?” he finally mumbled. 

“Yes…” Adrian nodded. 

“How?” 

“One night I injected the serum when you stepped out. Then we, you know...and I waited. I did some testing Monday and found I’m six weeks along. I decided to wait until today to say anything. I didn’t tell you when I injected it...I wanted it to be a surprise! I’m sorry, Trevor. I know you said we could wait until I was ready...and...I don’t know...I wanted to tell you without you knowing...sort of like a normal couple...”

Trevor grinned. “You sly bastard…”

“Is this...okay with you?”

“ _ Okay? _ It’s fucking fantastic! Come here,” Trevor grabbed Adrian by the shoulders and pulled him into his chest. Adrian smiled into his neck. 

“I’m so proud of our family, Adrian,” Trevor mumbled. 

“So am I.”

“Once we’re finished having babies we should get a family portrait done.”

“You say that like we don’t know how many we’ll have.”

“Well, we  _ are _ crazy motherfuckers,” Trevor laughed. 

Adrian chuckled. “Agreed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adrian's one sneaky spouse. lol 
> 
> I plan to write one more chapter to this, which will be an epilogue. However, I'm open to adding a sequel to this where the kids are older if anyone is interested! Feel free to let me know. :)


	18. The Birthday Party [Epilogue]

_**Epilogue** _

It was Laurent’s first birthday. Adrian and Trevor were ecstatic, and worked to bake a cake for their babbling son as he sat in a high chair in the kitchen. Trevor was busy baking, but his eyes drifted to his husband every once in a while. Adrian sat in a chair mixing ingredients to make icing, his swollen abdomen filling up the space between the chair and the table. Trevor grimaced at how vigorous his stirring was. 

“Baby, I’ll finish it,” Trevor said. He tugged on the mixing bowl in Adrian’s hands. 

“I’m fine, Trevor,” Adrian mumbled. 

“Yeah, it’s all fun and games until your water breaks.”

Adrian scoffed. “I’m due next week.”

“The calendar has never stopped a kid from coming when they want.”

“Fine…” he sighed, relenting his hold on the bowl. He turned his attention to his son and cooed at him. Laurent babbled and put out his arms for Adrian to pick him up. Adrian smiled, then frowned. 

“Honey, you can’t sit on my lap, my belly’s too big,” he said. He sighed and went to stand. “How about a walk instead?”

“No!” Trevor interjected. “Don’t pick up that baby, Adrian!”

“My son wants to be in Daddy’s arms on his birthday.”

“And Papa doesn’t want to deliver a baby without Auntie Sypha here,” Trevor responded. “Sypha will be here Friday, yeah? Just try not to go into labor until then.”

Adrian pouted. He turned to Laurent and whispered to him. “Tell your papa he’s annoying.”

Laurent giggled and pointed to Trevor. “Papa!” he babbled. 

Trevor smiled and sat at the table across from Adrian. He leaned over to Laurent’s high chair and added whispers of his own. 

“Tell your daddy he’s nine months pregnant.”

The baby turned his head to Adrian. “Dada?”

The couple laughed and kissed their son. It was late at night, just an hour after midnight. It had only been sixty minutes since the birthday began, but it was already starting to be eventful. Due to the baby’s vampiric side, he often preferred being awake during the night. Trevor had tried to get him into an opposite schedule to mimic normal kids, but after fighting with him for a few nights, the couple found the baby slept better during the day. They decided as long as he got enough rest, they’d let his natural inclinations choose what time of day was better for him. So, here they were, at one in the morning baking a birthday cake with a giggly child. 

Trevor got up to let the cake cool after it was finished baking. He iced it and hummed, Adrian watching him from across the room. Pain hit his back and wrapped around to his abdomen. It faded after forty seconds. He bit his lip.  _ Trevor’s going to kill me, _ he thought frantically. 

It was only one contraction. It didn’t mean anything... _ yet. _

About an hour passed. Trevor left to get the presents they had for Laurent, leaving Adrian and the baby in the kitchen. The cake with one unlit candle sat on the table. Adrian exhaled after a bout of pain. Over the hour, he had kept track of his body’s tendencies, and a bit of panic rose in his throat. There was no doubt about it; he was in labor. The contractions were manageable and five minutes apart. His water hadn’t broke yet, which was a relief. It was just enough to allow Adrian to hide it until after they celebrated their son’s first birthday. He was adamant on seeing him blow out the candle and open his presents. 

Trevor put three boxes on the table. He sat across from Adrian and smiled. He placed the small cake on the high chair and lit a match. He lit one candle on top. Adrian clapped his hands and cooed at his son. 

“Happy birthday, Laurent!” he exclaimed, trying not to cry. “Blow out the candle, honey.”

“Here, kiddo, Papa will help you,” Trevor said. He blew out the candle and the couple clapped. The baby smiled and laughed. Adrian took a small spoon and cut a small sliver of cake. Just as he was about to feed it to Laurent, another pain hit him. He grimaced and closed his eyes, trying to take a deep breath. 

When it was over and he opened his eyes again, he was met with Trevor’s wild, doe eyes. Adrian gave a small  _ ahem _ and turned his head away. Trevor gawked at him. 

“Holy shit,” he said, “are you having contractions?”

“N-No!” Adrian lied. 

_ “Jesus  _ Christ!” 

Adrian ignored him. He pushed the spoon to Laurent’s lip. “Here, eat your cake.”

The baby ate the small sliver with a smile. Adrian smiled back. He fed him a few more slivers before moving the cake to the side. He put a box on the high chair. Trevor watched his movements carefully. 

Laurent pawed at the box, and Adrian removed the lid so he could dig for what was inside. 

“Show Daddy what you got for your birthday!” he urged. The baby babbled. Adrian winced. “C-Come on...sweetheart...hurry up for Daddy please.”

Trevor stood and rushed to the other side of the table. He wrapped his arms around Adrian’s shoulders. “That’s enough, Adrian. Let’s go. I’ll put him down for a nap.”

“Stop, Trevor!” Adrian insisted. “I’m celebrating my son’s birthday!”

“He doesn’t know the damn difference!” Trevor retorted. “We can do that later. How far apart are your contractions?”

“About five minutes now…”

“Fuck! What are you planning to do, pop out your second kid while singing happy birthday to the first?!”

“Ugh, damn your crude mouth!” Adrian huffed. “My water’s not broke yet!”

“I knew you were crazy as shit, but I didn’t know you were  _ this _ crazy.”

**~*~**

Adrian sat on the edge of the bed, sweat beading down his neck. Trevor scrambled from place to place, setting out supplies and sheets. When Adrian went to stand in the kitchen, he felt the trickle down his thigh, and Trevor saw the dampness in his trousers. It was at that moment all hell broke loose. Trevor grabbed the baby and rushed out of the room, leaving Adrian a soiled mess. Adrian cursed at an empty room with a variety of colorful curses, most laced with his husband’s name. Trevor soon returned and carried him back to their bedroom. Adrian cleaned himself up and changed into a gown as Trevor made sure their son was sleeping. 

Part of him couldn’t believe what was happening. Another part of him wasn’t surprised. 

Trevor went into the bath to fill a bowl with water. Adrian groaned and pawed at his abdomen. 

“The baby’s coming, Trevor,” he sighed with a pained huff. Trevor set the bowl on the table and wiped a damp cloth over Adrian’s face and neck. 

“Breathe, Adrian,” he urged. “Breathe!”

“I think  _ you _ need to breathe.”

Trevor nodded and clutched Adrian’s hand, squeezing it as if he were the one in excruciating pain. He was panicking. Sypha wasn’t here, and wouldn’t be for another two days. He was alone in delivering a baby. Part of him  _ really _ wanted a beer to help him snap out of this mess. Despite that, he knew this was real and happening. Him going more than a year without drinking at a tavern was enough proof of that. 

“Help me in that chair,” Adrian said, pointing a cushioned seat across the room. “The labor’s going fast. I think it’s almost time.”

“Why are we such crazy motherfuckers, Adrian?!”

“It’s too late to even bother thinking about  _ why _ , love.”

**~*~**

“You’re almost there, baby.”

“Fuck… how do  _ you _ know?!”

“I’m looking at our kid’s blonde scalp!”

“What? Show me a mirror.”

Trevor sat on a stool in front of Adrian, his trembling hands wrapped around a mirror. Adrian sighed, his hair damp with sweat and exertion. He reached down and felt his baby for the first time. Trevor watched and put the mirror down. He was a _ mess _ . Come to think of it, this was the most panicked he had ever been in his life. He tried to mimic what Sypha did a year prior, but he couldn’t be sure if he was doing it right. He shivered, sweat dampening his tunic. Part of him thought he was more disheveled than his spouse in the middle of giving birth in front of him. Adrian was strained and in excruciating pain, but there was a glimmer of emotion bubbling in his eyes. 

“Don’t faint, Trevor,” he mumbled. 

“I..I’m not!” 

Trevor wasn’t sure what exactly happened in the haze. One moment, he was urging Adrian to push, though his husband seemed to be handling it on his own. The next, there was a newborn in his hands. Trevor cleaned the child off and placed them on Adrian’s chest. Adrian exhaled out of exhaustion and immediately starting cooing the crying child. 

“Oh, honey, you’re okay,” he whispered. “It’s okay.”

Trevor stared at them. He reached over and rubbed the baby’s back. “Shit…” he said through tears of relief. “I forgot to check if it’s a boy or girl…”

Adrian shifted the child slightly. He smiled and sniffled. “It’s a girl, Trevor.”

“Holy shit…” 

“You almost gave Papa a heart attack, sweetheart,” Adrian chuckled as Trevor placed a blanket over the baby’s body. He brushed a gentle thumb over her head of blonde hair. She opened her eyes, two lurid irises staring back at him. 

“She looks just like you, Adrian.”

“She’s got  _ Belmont _ in her somewhere,” he said. “What shall we name her?”

“She looks like your mother too...”

Adrian sniffled and shook his head. “I-I don’t know…”

“Lisa…” Trevor mumbled. “Lisa... _ Lisa Marie Belmont. _ My mother was Marie, yours was Lisa. How about that, baby?”

“T-That’s beautiful…” 

“Well, there we have it. Lisa Marie Belmont. Born exactly a year after her brother. That’s some crazy damn timing.”

“Sypha’s going to be shocked when she gets here.”

“No doubt.”

**~*~**

“It’s a girl!” Sypha exclaimed as she walked through the bedroom door, a smile bright on her face. “Where is she?!”

“Here we go,” Trevor chuckled, walking in behind her. 

Adrian smiled at her from the bed, the little girl in his arms. His sleeping son was in the crib at his bedside, his daughter’s bassinet across the room. He had never been happier than he was at that moment. He smiled and placed the child in Sypha’s arms. She smiled at her and cooed. 

“Oh, she looks just like you, Adrian,” she said. “What’s her name?”

“Lisa Marie Belmont,” he said. 

“It’s perfect. Did Trevor do okay?”

“Fine enough,” he chuckled. 

“I guess she just didn’t want to wait, huh?” Sypha said. “She wanted to surprise her Auntie Sypha!”

“Well her little  _ surprise _ almost did me in,” Trevor mumbled. Adrian laughed. 

“Maybe she’s just like you, Trevor. Once her mind’s made up, there’s no changing it,” he said. Trevor shrugged with a smile. 

“Yeah, maybe.”

**~*~**

Two weeks passed after their daughter was born. Sypha stayed to help with the children as Adrian recovered. One night, Trevor laid down as Adrian dozed, their daughter in the bassinet by the window and their son in the crib right beside it. Adrian hummed and took a sip of water. 

“I think our family’s perfect, Trevor,” he mumbled out of the blue. 

“Yeah. It sure is,” Trevor nodded, brushing his fingers through strands of Adrian’s hair. 

“I think I’ll change back tomorrow.”

“Alright. Are you well enough to perform the spellwork?”

“I think so. I’m recovering better now than I did with Laurent. If we change our minds in the future I can always change back, but I’m happy with what we have.”

“So am I. These couple of years have been a wild fucking ride.”

Adrian smiled. “They have. But I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Trevor leaned over and kissed him. He smiled on his mouth. “I wouldn’t either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't intending on writing a second birth scene, but I got the idea for birthday party chaos and couldn't help it. lol
> 
> Thank you so much for the support this fic has gotten! This fic and the first part in the series (Stingher) are some of my most popular works. I am planning on writing a sequel to this that is more drama plot-driven (inspired by Curse of Darkness). It will feature the family but include some different elements thrown in as well. This series wouldn't have gone past "Stingher" without all the positive feedback, so thank you!! :)


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